Indonesia received its first shipment of coronavirus vaccine from China on Sunday, President Joko Widodo said, as the government prepares a mass inoculation programme. 
 
Jokowi, as the president is widely known, said in an online briefing that the Southeast Asian country received 1.2 million doses from China`s Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a vaccine Indonesia has been testing since August.

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He added that the government plans to receive another 1.8 million doses in early January. 
 
Late-stage trials of the Sinovac vaccine are also under way in Brazil and Turkey, with interim results on efficiency from Brazil expected by mid-December.

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Indonesia is also expected this month to receive shipments of raw materials to produce 15 million doses and materials for 30 million doses next month, the president said. 
 
The vaccine still needs to be evaluated by the country`s food and drug agency (BPOM) while his administration continues to prepare for distributing the vaccine across the vast archipelago of 270 million people, Jokowi said. 
 
"We have been preparing for months through simulations in several provinces and I am sure that once it is decided that we can begin the vaccination, everything will be ready," he said. 
 
Indonesia`s daily number of coronavirus infections have accelerated in recent weeks, with total confirmed cases reaching 575,796 on Sunday with 17,740 deaths, the highest in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia received its first shipment of coronavirus vaccine from China on Sunday, President Joko Widodo said, as the government prepares a mass inoculation programme.

Indonesia received its first shipment of coronavirus vaccine from China on Sunday, President Joko Widodo said, as the government prepares a mass inoculation programme. Jokowi, as the president is widely known, said in an online briefing that the Southeast Asian country received 1.2 million doses from China`s Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a vaccine Indonesia has been testing since August. Also read| Pfizer seeks emergency approval for Covid vaccine in India He added that the government plans to receive another 1.8 million doses in early January. Late-stage trials of the Sinovac vaccine are also under way in Brazil and Turkey, with interim results on efficiency from Brazil expected by mid-December. Also read| World Food Programme warns 2021 will bring 'catastrophic' humanitarian crisis Indonesia is also expected this month to receive shipments of raw materials to produce 15 million doses and materials for 30 million doses next month, the president said. The vaccine still needs to be evaluated by the country`s food and drug agency (BPOM) while his administration continues to prepare for distributing the vaccine across the vast archipelago of 270 million people, Jokowi said. "We have been preparing for months through simulations in several provinces and I am sure that once it is decided that we can begin the vaccination, everything will be ready," he said. Indonesia`s daily number of coronavirus infections have accelerated in recent weeks, with total confirmed cases reaching 575,796 on Sunday with 17,740 deaths, the highest in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia receives first COVID vaccine from China's Sinovac

Indonesia's social affairs minister was arrested on Saturday for allegedly accepting bribes links to food aid worth USD 1.2 million. The aid was meant for those hit by coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

Juliari Batubara turned himself in on Sunday at Indonesia's anti-corruption agency's headquarters. On Saturday, the anti-corruption agents seized suitcases, enveloped and backpacks stuffed with cash in a sting operation. Batubara was named a suspect after the sting operation.

Batubara is the second minister in President Joko Widodo's government to be arrested over alleged graft in recent weeks

"That's the people's money... it's aid urgently needed to help during Covid-19 and for the national economic recovery," Widodo said after Batubara's arrest, vowing he would not protect any corrupt officials. Widodo was quoted by AFP.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-summons-uk-envoy-over-papua-separatist-leader-347895">Indonesia summons UK envoy over Papua separatist leader</a>

Batubara has been accused of involvement in a bribery scheme linked to one such aid project.

Indonesia's economy -- Southeast Asia's biggest -- has been hit hard by the pandemic, and the government has rolled out aid programmes such as food packages to help those in need.

Officials allege that Batubara received more than USD 1 million from two contractors who were appointed to supply basic food packages for people hit by coronavirus pandemic.

For each package, Batubara would receive 10,000 rupiah, or USD 0.71, officials alleged.

If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of one billion rupiah (USD 70,000).

(With AFP inputs)

Indonesia's social affairs minister was arrested on Saturday for allegedly accepting bribes links to food aid worth USD 1.2 million. The aid was meant for those hit by coronavirus pandemic.

Indonesia's social affairs minister was arrested on Saturday for allegedly accepting bribes links to food aid worth USD 1.2 million. The aid was meant for those hit by coronavirus pandemic. Juliari Batubara turned himself in on Sunday at Indonesia's anti-corruption agency's headquarters. On Saturday, the anti-corruption agents seized suitcases, enveloped and backpacks stuffed with cash in a sting operation. Batubara was named a suspect after the sting operation. Batubara is the second minister in President Joko Widodo's government to be arrested over alleged graft in recent weeks "That's the people's money... it's aid urgently needed to help during Covid-19 and for the national economic recovery," Widodo said after Batubara's arrest, vowing he would not protect any corrupt officials. Widodo was quoted by AFP. Also Read | Indonesia summons UK envoy over Papua separatist leader Batubara has been accused of involvement in a bribery scheme linked to one such aid project. Indonesia's economy -- Southeast Asia's biggest -- has been hit hard by the pandemic, and the government has rolled out aid programmes such as food packages to help those in need. Officials allege that Batubara received more than USD 1 million from two contractors who were appointed to supply basic food packages for people hit by coronavirus pandemic. For each package, Batubara would receive 10,000 rupiah, or USD 0.71, officials alleged. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of one billion rupiah (USD 70,000). (With AFP inputs)

Indonesia minister arrested over COVID aid bribes

Indonesia has lodged a formal protest with Britain after a UK-based separatist leader announced an interim government-in-exile for the restive Papua province.

Mineral-rich Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province, has been dealing for decades with a low-level separatist insurgency, as well as poverty and communal tensions.

Benny Wenda, leader of a pro-independence group, this week declared himself the president of a new interim government in Papua, but an infuriated Jakarta dismissed his claim.

Indonesia's foreign ministry on Friday summoned British ambassador Owen Jenkins to convey "strong protest" over Benny Wenda's statements and activities, according to ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah.

"The British ambassador promised he would deliver Indonesia's strong protest and he also reiterated the UK government stance on the sovereignty and unity of Indonesian regions," he said in a statement on Saturday.

The British embassy did not comment.

Indonesia took control of Papua, a former Dutch colony, in the 1960s after a vote -- widely viewed as rigged -- showed a majority favoured staying under Jakarta's rule.

Wenda, who has been living in Britain since the early 2000s, leads one of the groups campaigning for Papua's independence, and Jakarta has declared that he is no longer an Indonesian citizen.

Indonesian security forces tasked with crushing the Papua rebellion have long been accused of committing atrocities against Papuan civilians.

The impoverished region has also seen communal and ethnic violence in recent years.

A spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights office said Monday the organisation was "disturbed by escalating violence over the past weeks and months" in Papua.

Indonesia has lodged a formal protest with Britain after a UK-based separatist leader announced an interim government-in-exile for the restive Papua province. Mineral-rich Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province, has been dealing for decades with a low-level separatist insurgency, as well as poverty and communal tensions.

Indonesia has lodged a formal protest with Britain after a UK-based separatist leader announced an interim government-in-exile for the restive Papua province. Mineral-rich Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province, has been dealing for decades with a low-level separatist insurgency, as well as poverty and communal tensions. Benny Wenda, leader of a pro-independence group, this week declared himself the president of a new interim government in Papua, but an infuriated Jakarta dismissed his claim. Indonesia's foreign ministry on Friday summoned British ambassador Owen Jenkins to convey "strong protest" over Benny Wenda's statements and activities, according to ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah. "The British ambassador promised he would deliver Indonesia's strong protest and he also reiterated the UK government stance on the sovereignty and unity of Indonesian regions," he said in a statement on Saturday. The British embassy did not comment. Indonesia took control of Papua, a former Dutch colony, in the 1960s after a vote -- widely viewed as rigged -- showed a majority favoured staying under Jakarta's rule. Wenda, who has been living in Britain since the early 2000s, leads one of the groups campaigning for Papua's independence, and Jakarta has declared that he is no longer an Indonesian citizen. Indonesian security forces tasked with crushing the Papua rebellion have long been accused of committing atrocities against Papuan civilians. The impoverished region has also seen communal and ethnic violence in recent years. A spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights office said Monday the organisation was "disturbed by escalating violence over the past weeks and months" in Papua.

Indonesia summons UK envoy over Papua separatist leader

Dr Sardjono Utomo, a senior Indonesian doctor, admitted himself to his local hospital in East Java late Tuesday afternoon.

In just over 24 hours, as his fellow doctors phoned hospital after hospital in search of a ventilator in Surabaya – Indonesia’s second-largest city and a few hours’ drive away – the doctor and his wife, Sri Martini, would both be dead.

The death of Dr Sardjono and his wife from COVID-19 has raised alarm bells in the world’s fourth-most populated nation, where the pandemic has steadily gone from bad to worse and is now putting significant strain on the country’s poorly equipped health system.

In the past 10 days Indonesia has posted four daily record high numbers, the highest was Dec. 3 with 8,369 new cases, while local news has runs headlines of more regional hospitals reaching full capacity.

"It seems like the current overcapacity situation is the worst it has been throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia,” Halik Malik, spokesman for the Indonesian Medical Association, told Reuters.

Public health experts say Indonesia has struggled since March to get the pandemic under control, now with 557,877 cases and 17,355 confirmed deaths – plus another nearly 70,000 suspected cases – it has by far the highest caseload and death toll in Southeast Asia, and the data shows the situation is intensifying.

In Pamekasan, a modest district on Madura island bordered by the Java Sea, where Dr Sardjono worked for years as a hospital director, there is not one ventilator in town.

But when the 67-year-old radiologist arrived at Pamekasan’s Mohammad Noer Hospital he desperately needed one.

“Everywhere was full. And everything is full here in Pamekasan,” said Dr Syaiful Hidayat, a pulmonologist&nbsp;who treated Dr Sardjono. “Now it is peaking.”

Dr Sardjono’s son-in-law, 41-year-old Arif Rahman, said the deaths of his in-laws highlighted how ill-equipped the nation’s hospitals were to handle the pandemic.

“Ventilators are important,” he said, “In Pamekasan, which is a referral [area] for other regions, it is of course pitiful. Let alone in other places like Surabaya, where it is always full.”

Asked why Dr Sardjono could not find a ventilator, Febriadhitya Prajatara, Surabaya government spokesman, said they had tried too late and the city was not to blame.

The city’s ICU capacity, he said, was at 66%.

But across Java, the most populated island on the planet, other worrying signs are emerging.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said Wednesday the occupancy rate for isolation rooms in Bogor, Depok, Bekasi and Bandung had reached at 80%.

In the capital Jakarta, there is also cause for concern.

LaporCOVID-19, an independent coronavirus data initiative, warned this week that Jakarta’s emergency wards were veering toward “collapse”.

In helping coronavirus patients find hospital beds from November 27-29, LaporCOVID-19 contacted emergency wards at 69 hospitals and discovered that 97% were full.

“The overcapacity of ICUs in referral hospitals for COVID-19 in some areas indicates the government`s handling of the pandemic is less than serious,” said Irma Hidayana, the initiative’s cofounder.

Indonesia’s COVID-19 taskforce, the National Hospital Association and the Jakarta Health Office have not responded to questions from Reuters about current hospital capacity.

However, speaking in a press briefing Thursday, taskforce spokesman Wiku Adisasmito, said ICU beds were 57.97% nationally as of December 1. Some 1,315 portable ventilators had also been distributed to the regions, he said.

But for Dr Sardjono, one of more than 180 Indonesian doctors who have died from the virus, that made no difference.

Asked why a senior doctor was unable to receive the treatment he needed, Dr Syaiful said there was just not enough room.

“Who do you want to kick out?” he asked, “You can’t do that. It shows that COVID is here and it is real… It can happen to anyone and we won’t have enough beds.”

Dr Sardjono Utomo, a senior Indonesian doctor, admitted himself to his local hospital in East Java late Tuesday afternoon. In just over 24 hours, as his fellow doctors phoned hospital after hospital in search of a ventilator in Surabaya – Indonesia’s second-largest city and a few hours’ drive away – the doctor and his wife, Sri Martini, would both be dead.

Dr Sardjono Utomo, a senior Indonesian doctor, admitted himself to his local hospital in East Java late Tuesday afternoon. In just over 24 hours, as his fellow doctors phoned hospital after hospital in search of a ventilator in Surabaya – Indonesia’s second-largest city and a few hours’ drive away – the doctor and his wife, Sri Martini, would both be dead. The death of Dr Sardjono and his wife from COVID-19 has raised alarm bells in the world’s fourth-most populated nation, where the pandemic has steadily gone from bad to worse and is now putting significant strain on the country’s poorly equipped health system. In the past 10 days Indonesia has posted four daily record high numbers, the highest was Dec. 3 with 8,369 new cases, while local news has runs headlines of more regional hospitals reaching full capacity. "It seems like the current overcapacity situation is the worst it has been throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia,” Halik Malik, spokesman for the Indonesian Medical Association, told Reuters. Public health experts say Indonesia has struggled since March to get the pandemic under control, now with 557,877 cases and 17,355 confirmed deaths – plus another nearly 70,000 suspected cases – it has by far the highest caseload and death toll in Southeast Asia, and the data shows the situation is intensifying. In Pamekasan, a modest district on Madura island bordered by the Java Sea, where Dr Sardjono worked for years as a hospital director, there is not one ventilator in town. But when the 67-year-old radiologist arrived at Pamekasan’s Mohammad Noer Hospital he desperately needed one. “Everywhere was full. And everything is full here in Pamekasan,” said Dr Syaiful Hidayat, a pulmonologist who treated Dr Sardjono. “Now it is peaking.” Dr Sardjono’s son-in-law, 41-year-old Arif Rahman, said the deaths of his in-laws highlighted how ill-equipped the nation’s hospitals were to handle the pandemic. “Ventilators are important,” he said, “In Pamekasan, which is a referral [area] for other regions, it is of course pitiful. Let alone in other places like Surabaya, where it is always full.” Asked why Dr Sardjono could not find a ventilator, Febriadhitya Prajatara, Surabaya government spokesman, said they had tried too late and the city was not to blame. The city’s ICU capacity, he said, was at 66%. But across Java, the most populated island on the planet, other worrying signs are emerging. West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said Wednesday the occupancy rate for isolation rooms in Bogor, Depok, Bekasi and Bandung had reached at 80%. In the capital Jakarta, there is also cause for concern. LaporCOVID-19, an independent coronavirus data initiative, warned this week that Jakarta’s emergency wards were veering toward “collapse”. In helping coronavirus patients find hospital beds from November 27-29, LaporCOVID-19 contacted emergency wards at 69 hospitals and discovered that 97% were full. “The overcapacity of ICUs in referral hospitals for COVID-19 in some areas indicates the government`s handling of the pandemic is less than serious,” said Irma Hidayana, the initiative’s cofounder. Indonesia’s COVID-19 taskforce, the National Hospital Association and the Jakarta Health Office have not responded to questions from Reuters about current hospital capacity. However, speaking in a press briefing Thursday, taskforce spokesman Wiku Adisasmito, said ICU beds were 57.97% nationally as of December 1. Some 1,315 portable ventilators had also been distributed to the regions, he said. But for Dr Sardjono, one of more than 180 Indonesian doctors who have died from the virus, that made no difference. Asked why a senior doctor was unable to receive the treatment he needed, Dr Syaiful said there was just not enough room. “Who do you want to kick out?” he asked, “You can’t do that. It shows that COVID is here and it is real… It can happen to anyone and we won’t have enough beds.”

Death of senior doctor rings alarm bells in pandemic-struck Indonesia

Thousands have fled the scene of a rumbling Indonesian volcano that burst to life for the first time in several years, belching a massive column of smoke and ash, the disaster agency said Monday.

The evacuation of more than 4,400 residents came as Mount Ili Lewotolok erupted Sunday, spouting a thick tower of debris four kilometres (2.5 miles) into the sky, triggering a flight warning and the closure of a local airport.

The crater's last major eruption was in 2017.

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There were no reports of injuries or damage from the eruption in a remote part of the Southeast Asian archipelago.

But authorities advised residents to wear masks to protect themselves from volcanic ash spouting from the crater in East Nusa Tenggara -- the southernmost province of Indonesia -- and to be alert for possible lava flows.

"To minimise the health impact from volcanic ash, it is recommended that people wear a mask or other equipment to protect their eyes and skin," National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Raditya Jati said.

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A two-kilometre no-go zone around the crater was also expanded to four kilometres after Sunday's eruption, while flights were advised to steer clear of the area as volcanic ash rained down on the local Wunopitu airport, which was temporarily closed.

Indonesia is home to about 130 active volcanoes due to its position on the "Ring of Fire", a belt of tectonic plate boundaries circling the Pacific Ocean where frequent seismic activity occurs.

In late 2018, a volcano in the strait between Java and Sumatra islands erupted, causing an underwater landslide that unleashed a tsunami which killed more than 400 people.

Thousands have fled the scene of a rumbling Indonesian volcano that burst to life for the first time in several years, belching a massive column of smoke and ash, the disaster agency said Monday.

Thousands have fled the scene of a rumbling Indonesian volcano that burst to life for the first time in several years, belching a massive column of smoke and ash, the disaster agency said Monday. The evacuation of more than 4,400 residents came as Mount Ili Lewotolok erupted Sunday, spouting a thick tower of debris four kilometres (2.5 miles) into the sky, triggering a flight warning and the closure of a local airport. The crater's last major eruption was in 2017. Also read| Volcano erupts in Indonesia, throws up smoke four kilometres in air There were no reports of injuries or damage from the eruption in a remote part of the Southeast Asian archipelago. But authorities advised residents to wear masks to protect themselves from volcanic ash spouting from the crater in East Nusa Tenggara -- the southernmost province of Indonesia -- and to be alert for possible lava flows. "To minimise the health impact from volcanic ash, it is recommended that people wear a mask or other equipment to protect their eyes and skin," National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Raditya Jati said. Also read| Skeletons of rich man and his 'male slave' found from ashes at Pompeii excavation A two-kilometre no-go zone around the crater was also expanded to four kilometres after Sunday's eruption, while flights were advised to steer clear of the area as volcanic ash rained down on the local Wunopitu airport, which was temporarily closed. Indonesia is home to about 130 active volcanoes due to its position on the "Ring of Fire", a belt of tectonic plate boundaries circling the Pacific Ocean where frequent seismic activity occurs. In late 2018, a volcano in the strait between Java and Sumatra islands erupted, causing an underwater landslide that unleashed a tsunami which killed more than 400 people.

Thousands flee as Indonesian volcano bursts to life

A volcano in Indonesia erupted on Sunday triggering a flight warning and closure of a local airport. The explosion threw a column of smoke and ash four kilometres (2.5 miles in the air). There have been no reports of injuries or damage so far. However, the authorities have raised the volcano's alert status to it second-highest level. They have also warned of lava flows.

A two-kilometre no-go zone has been expanded to four kilometres. Flights have been advised to steer clear of the area. White volcanic ash rained down on East Nusa Tenggara's Wunopitu airport. The airport was temporarily closed.

"People are advised to not carry out any activities within a four-kilometre radius from the crater," Indonesia's geological agency said.

There are about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia due to its position on the "Ring of Fire" a belt of tectonic plate boundaries circling the Pacific Ocean where frequent seismic activity occurs.

In late 2018, a volcano in the strait between Java and Sumatra islands erupted, causing an underwater landslide that unleashed a tsunami which killed more than 400 people.

(With AFP inputs)

A volcano in Indonesia erupted on Sunday triggering a flight warning and closure of a local airport. The explosion threw a column of smoke and ash four kilometres (2.

A volcano in Indonesia erupted on Sunday triggering a flight warning and closure of a local airport. The explosion threw a column of smoke and ash four kilometres (2.5 miles in the air). There have been no reports of injuries or damage so far. However, the authorities have raised the volcano's alert status to it second-highest level. They have also warned of lava flows. A two-kilometre no-go zone has been expanded to four kilometres. Flights have been advised to steer clear of the area. White volcanic ash rained down on East Nusa Tenggara's Wunopitu airport. The airport was temporarily closed. "People are advised to not carry out any activities within a four-kilometre radius from the crater," Indonesia's geological agency said. There are about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia due to its position on the "Ring of Fire" a belt of tectonic plate boundaries circling the Pacific Ocean where frequent seismic activity occurs. In late 2018, a volcano in the strait between Java and Sumatra islands erupted, causing an underwater landslide that unleashed a tsunami which killed more than 400 people. (With AFP inputs)

Volcano erupts in Indonesia, throws up smoke four kilometres in air

Indonesia reached a grim milestone on Monday in surpassing more than half a million coronavirus cases, as average new daily infections hit a record and hospitals in the country's most populated province edged closer to capacity.

Indonesia hits half million virus cases as infection spike strains hospitals

Officials and well-wishers gathered at Islamabad Zoo on Monday for a farewell party for Pakistan’s lonely elephant Kaavan before he sets off for a new life in Cambodia this week.

After years of campaigning by animal rights advocates and pop star Cher to rescue him from grim conditions with no companion, Kaavan was finally set to be airlifted to an elephant sanctuary on Sunday.

To mark the occasion, officials, including lawmakers and Pakistan’s climate change minister, gathered among balloons and signs saying “Farewell Kaavan, we will miss you”.

Children posed for photos and musicians performed in front of the enclosure, with Kaavan at one point serenaded while he snacked on some grass.

Kaavan is known to be a fan of music and Amir Khalil, a vet from animal rescue organisation Four Paws, bonded with the elephant, who has been aggressive to humans in the past, by singing him Frank Sinatra songs.

Four Paws spokeswoman Marion Lombard said that though it was never easy to move a wild animal weighing 4.8 tonnes, Kaavan was responding well to training and was ready to leave.

“We decided to organise an event to give the opportunity to the people of Pakistan and the government to say goodbye to Kaavan, before his new life in Cambodia. So we want to wish him a happy retirement,” she said.

Kaavan will be airlifted to Cambodia after training for weeks with international specialists armed with treats such as bananas to get him used to the small enclosure and loud noises of the 10-hour flight.

Cher was due to arrive in Islamabad later in the week to finally meet the elephant she had worked for years to rescue and see him off.

Officials and well-wishers gathered at Islamabad Zoo on Monday for a farewell party for Pakistan’s lonely elephant Kaavan before he sets off for a new life in Cambodia this week.

Officials and well-wishers gathered at Islamabad Zoo on Monday for a farewell party for Pakistan’s lonely elephant Kaavan before he sets off for a new life in Cambodia this week. After years of campaigning by animal rights advocates and pop star Cher to rescue him from grim conditions with no companion, Kaavan was finally set to be airlifted to an elephant sanctuary on Sunday. To mark the occasion, officials, including lawmakers and Pakistan’s climate change minister, gathered among balloons and signs saying “Farewell Kaavan, we will miss you”. Children posed for photos and musicians performed in front of the enclosure, with Kaavan at one point serenaded while he snacked on some grass. Kaavan is known to be a fan of music and Amir Khalil, a vet from animal rescue organisation Four Paws, bonded with the elephant, who has been aggressive to humans in the past, by singing him Frank Sinatra songs. Four Paws spokeswoman Marion Lombard said that though it was never easy to move a wild animal weighing 4.8 tonnes, Kaavan was responding well to training and was ready to leave. “We decided to organise an event to give the opportunity to the people of Pakistan and the government to say goodbye to Kaavan, before his new life in Cambodia. So we want to wish him a happy retirement,” she said. Kaavan will be airlifted to Cambodia after training for weeks with international specialists armed with treats such as bananas to get him used to the small enclosure and loud noises of the 10-hour flight. Cher was due to arrive in Islamabad later in the week to finally meet the elephant she had worked for years to rescue and see him off.

Kaavan: Pakistan's loneliest elephant, fan of music, left for Indonesia

Thousands of supporters continued a warm welcome for firebrand cleric and Islamist leader Rizieq Shihab on Tuesday (November 10) in his Jakarta neighbourhood.

Indonesia: Thousands of supporters welcome controversial cleric back home

Thousand of peoples gathered at Indonesia Airport to welcome their leader Firebrand cleric 'Rizieq Sahib' who was in self-proclaimed exile for the last 3 years.

Firebrand cleric Rizieq Sahibab returns home in Indonesia after 3 years of exile

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to boost efforts by the world’s largest Muslim movement to recontextualize Islam during a forthcoming visit to Indonesia as part of a three-nation Asian tour. The tour is likely to be the secretary’s last official trip prior to next month’s US presidential election.

Mr. Pompeo’s engagement with Nahdlatul Ulama, a powerful Islamic grouping in Indonesia, with an estimated following of 50 million people, takes on added significance against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s push for a definition of human rights that redefines notions of freedom of religion at the expense of other basic rights in advance of a hard fought election that Donald J. Trump could lose.

It also comes as French President Emmanuel Macron kicked into high gear his self-declared mission of reforming what he has termed an Islam that “is a religion that is in crisis all over the world” in the wake of the gruesome murder of Samuel Paty, a 47-year old teacher.

Mr. Paty was killed by an 18-year old youth of Chechen descent after he used cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in a class about freedom of expression.

The Indonesia-leg at the end of Mr. Pompeo’s tour, which is first taking him to India and Sri Lanka, similarly comes as Nahdlatul Ulama, an independent civil society movement, competes globally with Saudi, United Arab Emirates, and Turkish state-backed efforts to garner religious soft power and shape the definition of what constitutes moderate Islam.

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Nahdlatul Ulama was founded almost a century ago in opposition to Wahhabism, the austere interpretation of Islam, that has largely guided Saudi Arabia since its founding in 1932.

Mr. Pompeo and his top aides are scheduled to participate in two days of events in the Indonesian capital organized by Nahdlatul Ulama to nurture “the shared civilizational aspirations” of Indonesia, the United States and Islam, defined by the group with the Qur’anic phrase that the faith is “a source of universal love and compassion.”

By giving Nahdlatul Ulama the State Department’s seal of approval, Mr. Pompeo is implicitly acknowledging the fact that the group unlike its rivals in the quest for religious soft power has started to put its money where its mouth is.

Unlike its soft power rivals, Nahdlatul Ulama has spelt out its definition of moderate Islam with its adoption in 2015 of the concept of Nusantara (Archipelago) or humanitarian Islam that calls for a full embrace of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UNHDR).

Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE project themselves as models of undefined forms of moderate Islam manifested by engagement in inter-faith dialogue and varying degrees of religious tolerance.

They have, however, stopped short of addressing theologically problematic concepts like that of kafirs or infidels, the Muslim reference to non-Muslims, slavery, dhimmis, people of the book that Islam recognizes but accords a lesser status than Muslims, apostasy, and blasphemy.

They have also manoeuvred in inter-faith gatherings to evade unrestricted support of the UN human rights declaration.

By contrast, Nahdlatul Ulama has taken initial steps in that direction even if it still has a ways to go. Thousands of the group’s religious scholars issued a fatwa or religious opinion that eliminated the notion of infidels, effectively removing one pillar of Muslim perceptions of religious supremacy.

Based on statements by Nahdlatul Ulama leaders, the group’s scholars are likely to next do away with the legal concept of slavery.

The group’s litmus test will be if and when it takes on apostasy and blasphemy, concepts that are certain to be far more emotive and controversial. Nahdlatul Ulama officials say the group has long accepted in practice conversion away from Islam.

Mr. Pompeo’s acknowledgement of Nahdlatul Ulama further suggests that the State Department recognizes that religious reform is more likely to successfully be enacted by independent civil society actors with proper religious credentials and a significant following rather than states.

It is a recognition that by implication highlights the limitations of efforts by states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey, to define the essence of Islam as well as Mr. Macron’s ambition to solve the faith’s problems for it.

Mr. Pompeo lands in Jakarta shortly after signing the Geneva Consensus Declaration alongside a host of countries that propagate conservative values and rank low on Georgetown University’s Women, Peace and Security Index.

The declaration seeks to promote women’s rights and health and strengthen the family but emphasizes that “in no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning.”

It stipulates that there is “no international right to abortion, nor any international obligation on the part of States to finance or facilitate abortion.”

The declaration’s signatories include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Egypt, Belarus, Hungary, and Indonesia.

Many of the signatories are members of the Group of Friends, a block of 25 nations in the United Nations that seeks to pre-empt any expansion of rights for girls, women, and LGBT people and weaken international support for the Beijing Declaration, a landmark 1995 agreement that stands as an internationally recognized progressive blueprint for women’s rights.

Much of the group’s positions are coordinated by the Center for Family and Human Rights, or C-Fam, a small but influential far-right group that focuses on abortion, sexual orientation and gender identity. C-Fam has worked closely with the State Department dating back to the administration of US President George W. Bush.

Accompanied by among others Mary Ann Glendon, the head of the State Department’s Commission on Unalienable Rights, Mr. Pompeo’s arrival in Jakarta also comes after the centre-right Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI), the world’s largest alliance of political parties, acknowledged the Commission’s report as “a re-affirmation of the spirit and substance of fundamental human rights.”

Indonesia’s National Awakening Party (PKB), which has five seats in President Joko Widodo’s cabinet and is an influential member of IDC-CDI, is closely associated with Nahdlatul Ulama.

Critics have charged that the Commission’s report fuels assertions that there are too many human rights and prioritizes religious liberty and property rights at the expense of protections against discrimination particularly on the basis of gender.

As a result, Mr. Pompeo’s endorsement of Nahdlatul Ulama could prove to be a double-edged sword. It strengthens the group’s proposition, yet also identifies it with one faction in a global battle that not only seeks to define the soul of Islam but also fundamentally shape what constitutes a human right.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to boost efforts by the world’s largest Muslim movement to recontextualize Islam during a forthcoming visit to Indonesia as part of a three-nation Asian tour.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to boost efforts by the world’s largest Muslim movement to recontextualize Islam during a forthcoming visit to Indonesia as part of a three-nation Asian tour. The tour is likely to be the secretary’s last official trip prior to next month’s US presidential election. Mr. Pompeo’s engagement with Nahdlatul Ulama, a powerful Islamic grouping in Indonesia, with an estimated following of 50 million people, takes on added significance against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s push for a definition of human rights that redefines notions of freedom of religion at the expense of other basic rights in advance of a hard fought election that Donald J. Trump could lose. It also comes as French President Emmanuel Macron kicked into high gear his self-declared mission of reforming what he has termed an Islam that “is a religion that is in crisis all over the world” in the wake of the gruesome murder of Samuel Paty, a 47-year old teacher. Mr. Paty was killed by an 18-year old youth of Chechen descent after he used cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in a class about freedom of expression. The Indonesia-leg at the end of Mr. Pompeo’s tour, which is first taking him to India and Sri Lanka, similarly comes as Nahdlatul Ulama, an independent civil society movement, competes globally with Saudi, United Arab Emirates, and Turkish state-backed efforts to garner religious soft power and shape the definition of what constitutes moderate Islam. Also Read | Trump is seeking second term to help himself and his wealthy friends, says Ex-US President Barack Obama Nahdlatul Ulama was founded almost a century ago in opposition to Wahhabism, the austere interpretation of Islam, that has largely guided Saudi Arabia since its founding in 1932. Mr. Pompeo and his top aides are scheduled to participate in two days of events in the Indonesian capital organized by Nahdlatul Ulama to nurture “the shared civilizational aspirations” of Indonesia, the United States and Islam, defined by the group with the Qur’anic phrase that the faith is “a source of universal love and compassion.” By giving Nahdlatul Ulama the State Department’s seal of approval, Mr. Pompeo is implicitly acknowledging the fact that the group unlike its rivals in the quest for religious soft power has started to put its money where its mouth is. Unlike its soft power rivals, Nahdlatul Ulama has spelt out its definition of moderate Islam with its adoption in 2015 of the concept of Nusantara (Archipelago) or humanitarian Islam that calls for a full embrace of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UNHDR). Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE project themselves as models of undefined forms of moderate Islam manifested by engagement in inter-faith dialogue and varying degrees of religious tolerance. They have, however, stopped short of addressing theologically problematic concepts like that of kafirs or infidels, the Muslim reference to non-Muslims, slavery, dhimmis, people of the book that Islam recognizes but accords a lesser status than Muslims, apostasy, and blasphemy. They have also manoeuvred in inter-faith gatherings to evade unrestricted support of the UN human rights declaration. By contrast, Nahdlatul Ulama has taken initial steps in that direction even if it still has a ways to go. Thousands of the group’s religious scholars issued a fatwa or religious opinion that eliminated the notion of infidels, effectively removing one pillar of Muslim perceptions of religious supremacy. Based on statements by Nahdlatul Ulama leaders, the group’s scholars are likely to next do away with the legal concept of slavery. The group’s litmus test will be if and when it takes on apostasy and blasphemy, concepts that are certain to be far more emotive and controversial. Nahdlatul Ulama officials say the group has long accepted in practice conversion away from Islam. Mr. Pompeo’s acknowledgement of Nahdlatul Ulama further suggests that the State Department recognizes that religious reform is more likely to successfully be enacted by independent civil society actors with proper religious credentials and a significant following rather than states. It is a recognition that by implication highlights the limitations of efforts by states, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey, to define the essence of Islam as well as Mr. Macron’s ambition to solve the faith’s problems for it. Mr. Pompeo lands in Jakarta shortly after signing the Geneva Consensus Declaration alongside a host of countries that propagate conservative values and rank low on Georgetown University’s Women, Peace and Security Index. The declaration seeks to promote women’s rights and health and strengthen the family but emphasizes that “in no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning.” It stipulates that there is “no international right to abortion, nor any international obligation on the part of States to finance or facilitate abortion.” The declaration’s signatories include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Libya, Egypt, Belarus, Hungary, and Indonesia. Many of the signatories are members of the Group of Friends, a block of 25 nations in the United Nations that seeks to pre-empt any expansion of rights for girls, women, and LGBT people and weaken international support for the Beijing Declaration, a landmark 1995 agreement that stands as an internationally recognized progressive blueprint for women’s rights. Much of the group’s positions are coordinated by the Center for Family and Human Rights, or C-Fam, a small but influential far-right group that focuses on abortion, sexual orientation and gender identity. C-Fam has worked closely with the State Department dating back to the administration of US President George W. Bush. Accompanied by among others Mary Ann Glendon, the head of the State Department’s Commission on Unalienable Rights, Mr. Pompeo’s arrival in Jakarta also comes after the centre-right Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI), the world’s largest alliance of political parties, acknowledged the Commission’s report as “a re-affirmation of the spirit and substance of fundamental human rights.” Indonesia’s National Awakening Party (PKB), which has five seats in President Joko Widodo’s cabinet and is an influential member of IDC-CDI, is closely associated with Nahdlatul Ulama. Critics have charged that the Commission’s report fuels assertions that there are too many human rights and prioritizes religious liberty and property rights at the expense of protections against discrimination particularly on the basis of gender. As a result, Mr. Pompeo’s endorsement of Nahdlatul Ulama could prove to be a double-edged sword. It strengthens the group’s proposition, yet also identifies it with one faction in a global battle that not only seeks to define the soul of Islam but also fundamentally shape what constitutes a human right. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

US Secretary of State Pompeo set to boost Indonesian religious reform efforts

Two teenage sisters from Bali are leading an example. They are the part of a young generation global activists calling for urgent actions to protect the planet. Watch the report to know more.

WION Fineprint: Bali's teen sisters who dream of a plastic free world

Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga is in Vietnam amid Chinese aggression in South China sea. The two countries have reached on agreements to strengthen security and economic ties.

WION Dispatch: Japan,Vietnam exchange agreements on transfer of defence gear

Japan's new prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, leaves today on his first overseas foray since taking over from Shinzo Abe last month, heading to Vietnam and Indonesia.

Japan opens another anti-China front; PM Yoshihide Suga departs for Vietnam

Dressed in white Islamic garb and waving the red and white Indonesian national flag, more than 1,000 protestors from Islamic organisations and students groups gathered in central Jakarta on Tuesday (October 13) to voice discontent over a contentious new 'jobs creation' law.

Indonesia Islamic groups, students join movement to scrap jobs law

Police and demonstrators clashed in the Indonesian capital on Thursday on the third day of protests and strikes against a polarising new jobs law passed in Southeast Asia’s largest economy earlier this week.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the presidential palace in central Jakarta, shouting and throwing stones. Police fired tear gas and water cannon in an attempt to disperse the crowd, Reuters witnesses said.

The “omnibus” jobs creation bill, passed into law on Monday, has seen thousands of people across the world’s fourth-most populous nation take to the streets in protest against legislation they say undermines labour rights and weakens environmental protections.

“This is our struggle for our children and grandchildren, and our future generations... If it’s like this our well-being will decrease, and we will lack job certainty,” Maulana Syarif, 45, who has worked at Astra Honda motors for 25 years, told Reuters in Jakarta.

Around 1,000 protesters have been detained in Jakarta and more than 100 others arrested in other cities, according to police spokespeople. At least two students have been hospitalised with head injuries, and six police officers hurt.

“I feel a responsibility to the Indonesian people,” said another demonstrator, IT student Arawinda Kartika, as she marched toward the palace. “I feel sorry for labourers working day and night without sufficient wages or power.”

Labour union leader Jumisi called for protests to continue until the law was repealed, extending unions’ initial plan for a three-day national strike ending Thursday.

Television channels showed demonstrations in multiple cities across the country, including in remote areas such as North Maluku, where people carried coffins and held mock funerals to mark the “death” of parliament.

Black smoke rose across the capital on Thursday afternoon as protesters burned public transport facilities and damaged police posts. The operator of Jakarta’s MRT rail network said underground stations had been closed.

Protesters blocked a toll road in West Java and set fire to a cafe in Yogyakarta province, media reported.

Two provincial governors urged the president to issue an emergency decree to cancel the law, they said in their social media accounts.

The government of President Joko Widodo has championed the legislation as key to boosting Indonesia’s ailing economy by cutting red tape and attracting more foreign direct investment.

Bahlil Lahadalia, the head of Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board, appealed to young people to trust the government’s intent.

“Please be assured this law is to create jobs for the unemployed Indonesian people,” he said.

Police and demonstrators clashed in the Indonesian capital on Thursday on the third day of protests and strikes against a polarising new jobs law passed in Southeast Asia’s largest economy earlier this week.

Police and demonstrators clashed in the Indonesian capital on Thursday on the third day of protests and strikes against a polarising new jobs law passed in Southeast Asia’s largest economy earlier this week. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the presidential palace in central Jakarta, shouting and throwing stones. Police fired tear gas and water cannon in an attempt to disperse the crowd, Reuters witnesses said. The “omnibus” jobs creation bill, passed into law on Monday, has seen thousands of people across the world’s fourth-most populous nation take to the streets in protest against legislation they say undermines labour rights and weakens environmental protections. “This is our struggle for our children and grandchildren, and our future generations... If it’s like this our well-being will decrease, and we will lack job certainty,” Maulana Syarif, 45, who has worked at Astra Honda motors for 25 years, told Reuters in Jakarta. Around 1,000 protesters have been detained in Jakarta and more than 100 others arrested in other cities, according to police spokespeople. At least two students have been hospitalised with head injuries, and six police officers hurt. “I feel a responsibility to the Indonesian people,” said another demonstrator, IT student Arawinda Kartika, as she marched toward the palace. “I feel sorry for labourers working day and night without sufficient wages or power.” Labour union leader Jumisi called for protests to continue until the law was repealed, extending unions’ initial plan for a three-day national strike ending Thursday. Television channels showed demonstrations in multiple cities across the country, including in remote areas such as North Maluku, where people carried coffins and held mock funerals to mark the “death” of parliament. Black smoke rose across the capital on Thursday afternoon as protesters burned public transport facilities and damaged police posts. The operator of Jakarta’s MRT rail network said underground stations had been closed. Protesters blocked a toll road in West Java and set fire to a cafe in Yogyakarta province, media reported. Two provincial governors urged the president to issue an emergency decree to cancel the law, they said in their social media accounts. The government of President Joko Widodo has championed the legislation as key to boosting Indonesia’s ailing economy by cutting red tape and attracting more foreign direct investment. Bahlil Lahadalia, the head of Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board, appealed to young people to trust the government’s intent. “Please be assured this law is to create jobs for the unemployed Indonesian people,” he said.

Clashes erupt in protests against new Indonesian jobs law

When the coronavirus pandemic forced Indonesian schools to shut, it exposed how millions of households in the Southeast Asian country still had no access to the internet or even a device like a mobile phone to do remote learning. So students and volunteers have come up with creative ways to get round the problem.

Starved of wifi, Indonesian students trade plastic trash to study online

Hoping to revive her ailing food stall after Jakarta lifted its large-scale social restrictions due to the coronavirus back in June, restaurant owner Setiwet paid over 300,000 rupiah ($20) - quite a decent sum for a small business owner in Indonesia - to install plastic sheets along her restaurant's counter so that customers could feel safe dining in her restaurant again. But her plans to save her business were derailed after a decision came from the city government to reimpose lockdown measures starting Monday (September 14).

New restrictions send Jakarta restaurant owner's screen investment down the drain

Leading a group of pallbearers with a coffin on their shoulders, officials from Jakarta stopped in the middle of a busy intersection and started dishing out advice to motorists looking at the strange sight.

Indonesian parades 'coffin' through busy traffic to emphasize deadliness of COVID-19

Residents along Indonesia's Cisadane river are facing a double threat. Here, the Coronavirus has brought not just deadly disease, but also a deluge of medical waste: a constant stream of syringes, face masks and hazmat suits floating by.

Indonesian rivers flooded with medical waste, residents at a risk of contracting virus

In South Jakarta, a coffin with the words 'COVID-19 victim coffin' painted in red has been prominently placed at a busy traffic junction, serving as a solemn reminder to residents the dangers of the coronavirus.

Faux coffins: Indonesian capital adopts novel scare tactic to fight coronavirus

Indonesia has come up with a new way to spread awareness about the dangers of COVID-19 pandemic.

Authorities recently started displaying an empty coffin at a bustling intersection in the capital to remind people of the looming invisible danger.

"COVID-19 victim"

The dummy casket carries the words “COVID-19 victim” in Jakarta, where the country has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases.

Right next to the dummy coffin can be spotted a mannequin with a protective suit, mask, and a face shield.

Besides being an eye-grabbing message, the board underneath the coffin displays the infection rate and death tally of the district.

<img alt="A mock coffin (L) is displayed in a public area to warn people about the dangers of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 19, 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36315451-f3b7-4e74-b2e7-0359467c9328" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_47.jpg" /> 
A mock coffin (L) is displayed in a public area to warn people about the dangers of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 19, 2020.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/vaccine-nationalism-must-end-to-ensure-global-inoculation-who-321496" hreflang="en">'Vaccine nationalism' must end to ensure global inoculation: WHO</a>

"Maybe the action taken by the leadership is a bit extreme but this is how we hope to raise awareness," said Djaharuddin, chief of Jakarta's Mampang Prapatan subdistrict, in conversation with Reuters.

Indonesia currently has Southeast Asia’s highest death rate, with over 143,000 infections and 6,200 deaths in the country.

Owing to this, the country’s capital remains largely shut. The city home to over 10 million people has allowed restaurants and public transport to reopen at a reduced capacity, but schools still remain shut.

Jakarta on lock

The city had started easing restrictions in June, with all social distancing measures still in place across the country.

"Infection cases increase day by day, but people still ignore the health protocols," added Djaharuddin.

"Setting up the coffin helps people to stay alert of the situation so that they can change their behaviour”, the person added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/indonesia-volcano-spews-huge-ash-cloud-in-second-eruption-in-three-days-319385" hreflang="en">Indonesia volcano spews huge ash cloud in second eruption in three days</a>

Another village on the Java island has undertaken a similar measure, using “ghosts” to patrol the streets. Officials believe that superstition will prevent people from venturing out.

As cases continue to soar in the city, Jakarta’s governor Anies Baswedan said that he was going to pull the “emergency brake” on easing restrictions across the city.

Local media reported that districts in other parts of Jakarta are planning to replicate the faux coffin move to draw people’s attention.

Indonesia has come up with a new way to spread awareness about the dangers of COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities recently started displaying an empty coffin at a bustling intersection in the capital to remind people of the looming invisible danger.

Indonesia has come up with a new way to spread awareness about the dangers of COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities recently started displaying an empty coffin at a bustling intersection in the capital to remind people of the looming invisible danger. "COVID-19 victim" The dummy casket carries the words “COVID-19 victim” in Jakarta, where the country has recorded the highest number of coronavirus cases. Right next to the dummy coffin can be spotted a mannequin with a protective suit, mask, and a face shield. Besides being an eye-grabbing message, the board underneath the coffin displays the infection rate and death tally of the district. A mock coffin (L) is displayed in a public area to warn people about the dangers of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 19, 2020. Also read: 'Vaccine nationalism' must end to ensure global inoculation: WHO "Maybe the action taken by the leadership is a bit extreme but this is how we hope to raise awareness," said Djaharuddin, chief of Jakarta's Mampang Prapatan subdistrict, in conversation with Reuters. Indonesia currently has Southeast Asia’s highest death rate, with over 143,000 infections and 6,200 deaths in the country. Owing to this, the country’s capital remains largely shut. The city home to over 10 million people has allowed restaurants and public transport to reopen at a reduced capacity, but schools still remain shut. Jakarta on lock The city had started easing restrictions in June, with all social distancing measures still in place across the country. "Infection cases increase day by day, but people still ignore the health protocols," added Djaharuddin. "Setting up the coffin helps people to stay alert of the situation so that they can change their behaviour”, the person added. Also read: Indonesia volcano spews huge ash cloud in second eruption in three days Another village on the Java island has undertaken a similar measure, using “ghosts” to patrol the streets. Officials believe that superstition will prevent people from venturing out. As cases continue to soar in the city, Jakarta’s governor Anies Baswedan said that he was going to pull the “emergency brake” on easing restrictions across the city. Local media reported that districts in other parts of Jakarta are planning to replicate the faux coffin move to draw people’s attention.

Jakarta displays 'dummy coffin' to raise awareness about dangers of coronavirus

Indonesia's Mount Sinabung spewed a giant ash cloud 5 km (3.1 miles) into the sky on Monday (August 10) in its second eruption in three days, emitting a thunderous noise and turning the sky dark, authorities and witnesses said.

Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupts, turns day into night

An Indonesian volcano spewed a giant ash cloud 5 km (3.1 miles) into the sky on Monday in its second eruption in three days, emitting a thunderous noise and turning the sky dark, authorities and witnesses said.

The eruption of Mount Sinabung on the island of Sumatra comes after more than a year of inactivity and was the second since Saturday, as authorities warned residents and tourists about possible lava flows.

Dramatic footage of the morning eruption captured by residents showed a giant cloud of thick ash rising from the peak of the 2,460-metre (8,071-ft) mountain in Karo, North Sumatra.

"The sound was like thunder, it lasted for less than 30 seconds," resident Fachrur Rozi Pasi told Reuters by phone.

Residents have been advised to stay outside of a 3 km radius of the volcano and to wear masks to minimise the effects of falling volcanic ash, the volcanology agency said in a statement.

No casualties have been reported and a spokeswoman for the civil aviation authority said flights were still operating in the region.

"The situation around Mount Sinabung is very dark now," said Gilbert Sembiring, who was visiting a friend in Naman Teran Kampung when Sinabung erupted.

"It was bigger than the eruption a couple of days ago."

Sinabung, located in one of the world`s most volcanically active countries, had been inactive for centuries before it erupted again in 2010.

An Indonesian volcano spewed a giant ash cloud 5 km (3.1 miles) into the sky on Monday in its second eruption in three days, emitting a thunderous noise and turning the sky dark, authorities and witnesses said.

An Indonesian volcano spewed a giant ash cloud 5 km (3.1 miles) into the sky on Monday in its second eruption in three days, emitting a thunderous noise and turning the sky dark, authorities and witnesses said. The eruption of Mount Sinabung on the island of Sumatra comes after more than a year of inactivity and was the second since Saturday, as authorities warned residents and tourists about possible lava flows. Dramatic footage of the morning eruption captured by residents showed a giant cloud of thick ash rising from the peak of the 2,460-metre (8,071-ft) mountain in Karo, North Sumatra. "The sound was like thunder, it lasted for less than 30 seconds," resident Fachrur Rozi Pasi told Reuters by phone. Residents have been advised to stay outside of a 3 km radius of the volcano and to wear masks to minimise the effects of falling volcanic ash, the volcanology agency said in a statement. No casualties have been reported and a spokeswoman for the civil aviation authority said flights were still operating in the region. "The situation around Mount Sinabung is very dark now," said Gilbert Sembiring, who was visiting a friend in Naman Teran Kampung when Sinabung erupted. "It was bigger than the eruption a couple of days ago." Sinabung, located in one of the world`s most volcanically active countries, had been inactive for centuries before it erupted again in 2010.

Indonesia volcano spews huge ash cloud in second eruption in three days

Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupted Monday, belching a massive column of ash and smoke 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) into the air

Indonesia's Mt Sinabung volcano spews ash 5km high into sky

Indonesia's Mt. Sinabung erupts spewing smoke and ash

Indonesia had added Facebook, Disney and TikTok to the list of technology companies that will be obligated to pay 10 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on sales to Indonesian customers.

The decision to add these companies in the list was announced in a tax report on Friday morning.

The statement came after last month the country's tax department announced a 10 per cent VAT on sales by technology companies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/microsoft-planning-to-buy-tiktoks-global-business-reports-318751">Also read:&nbsp;Microsoft planning to buy TikTok's global business: Reports</a>

The decision was made keeping in mind the shift in spending patterns of the&nbsp;270 million residents of Indonesia during the pandemic. This shift has caused financial difficulties for the government, that it aims to get rid of with this new tax plan.

Other organisations that are a part of the list are Amazon Netflix, Spotify, Google, three units of Facebook, Tiktok Pte Ltd, Apple Distribution International Ltd, The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte Ltd, and more of Amazon’s subsidiaries, including its audiobook unit Audible and its voice assistant Alexa.

Under Indonesia’s rules, non-resident foreign firms which sell digital products and services in Indonesia worth at least 600 million rupiah ($41,039.67) a year or which generate yearly traffic from at least 12,000 users will be required to pay the 10% VAT.

The companies added to the list on Friday have not issued a comment on the increase in tax.

The Indonesian government is expecting a huge drop of 13 per cent in its state revenue due to the ongoing pandemic.

Indonesia had added Facebook, Disney and TikTok to the list of technology companies that will be obligated to pay 10 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on sales to Indonesian customers.

Indonesia had added Facebook, Disney and TikTok to the list of technology companies that will be obligated to pay 10 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on sales to Indonesian customers. The decision to add these companies in the list was announced in a tax report on Friday morning. The statement came after last month the country's tax department announced a 10 per cent VAT on sales by technology companies. Also read: Microsoft planning to buy TikTok's global business: Reports The decision was made keeping in mind the shift in spending patterns of the 270 million residents of Indonesia during the pandemic. This shift has caused financial difficulties for the government, that it aims to get rid of with this new tax plan. Other organisations that are a part of the list are Amazon Netflix, Spotify, Google, three units of Facebook, Tiktok Pte Ltd, Apple Distribution International Ltd, The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte Ltd, and more of Amazon’s subsidiaries, including its audiobook unit Audible and its voice assistant Alexa. Under Indonesia’s rules, non-resident foreign firms which sell digital products and services in Indonesia worth at least 600 million rupiah ($41,039.67) a year or which generate yearly traffic from at least 12,000 users will be required to pay the 10% VAT. The companies added to the list on Friday have not issued a comment on the increase in tax. The Indonesian government is expecting a huge drop of 13 per cent in its state revenue due to the ongoing pandemic.

Indonesia asks Facebook, TikTok and Disney to pay 10% VAT: Tax reports

Indonesia released 25 green turtles into the ocean on Wednesday (August 5), after the endangered animals were recovered during a raid on poachers last month. The turtles were part of some 36 green turtles rescued in mid-July from illegal traffickers. Another 11 turtles are set to be released back into their natural habitat on Sunday (August 9), the Agency for Conservation of Natural Resources of Bali said.

Indonesia releases 25 rescued green sea turtles into ocean

Indonesia's Diponegoro University holds its graduation ceremony without its flesh-and-blood graduates, with robots receiving diplomas from the rector's hands in the students' stead.

Robots stand in graduates' place at graduation ceremony in Indonesian university

Spring graduation ceremonies in Japan have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but students at one school were able to attend remotely by controlling avatar robots while logged on at home.

WION Dispatch: Robots replace students at graduation ceremony in Indonesia

Indonesia’s government will propose to parliament expanding its 2021 fiscal deficit assumption in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy to 5.2% of gross domestic product

Indonesia's 2021 fiscal deficit seen expanding to 5.2% of GDP

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