Indonesian authorities are on standby to divert flights destined for the holiday island of Bali as increasingly <a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/9972">frequent tremors</a> from a rumbling <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/tourists-evacuated-as-indonesian-volcano-erupts-6886">volcano stoke fears </a>an eruption could be imminent.

Mount Agung, about 75 kilometres (47 miles) from the tourist hub of Kuta, has been shaking since August, threatening to erupt for the first time in more than 50 years and forcing more than 80,000 people to flee their homes.

Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors every year to its palm-fringed beaches and an eruption would be a major blow to its tourism-dependent economy.

The airport in Bali`s capital Denpasar has not been affected but several countries including Australia and Singapore have issued travel advisories warning travellers to exercise caution.

In anticipation of an eruption, Indonesia plans to divert flights headed for Bali to ten other airports, including on nearby Lombok and to the capital Jakarta.

&quot;The planes will be diverted to their nearest location or where it originally took off from,&quot; transport minister Budi Karya Sumadi said.&nbsp;

Airlines are watching the situation closely and 100 buses have been prepared to evacuate tourists.

Virgin Australia said it would be making an extra fuel stop in Darwin for some of its flights between Australia and Bali in case it is forced to turn back.

Singapore Airlines said customers travelling between&nbsp;September 23 and October 2&nbsp;could rebook flights or ask for a refund.

Officials announced the highest possible alert level&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;due to the increasing volcanic activity, and told people to stay at least nine kilometres away from the crater.

The Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation recorded almost<a href="http://www.wionews.com/preview/article/9876"> 300 tremors</a>&nbsp;Wednesday&nbsp;morning. A thin column of smoke can be seen rising from the mountain`s summit.

Indonesia lies on the Pacific &quot;Ring of Fire&quot; where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

Mount Agung last erupted in 1963, killing nearly 1,600 people.

Frequent tremors from a rumbling volcano have stoked fears an eruption could be imminent

Indonesian authorities are on standby to divert flights destined for the holiday island of Bali as increasingly frequent tremors from a rumbling volcano stoke fears an eruption could be imminent. Mount Agung, about 75 kilometres (47 miles) from the tourist hub of Kuta, has been shaking since August, threatening to erupt for the first time in more than 50 years and forcing more than 80,000 people to flee their homes. Bali attracts millions of foreign visitors every year to its palm-fringed beaches and an eruption would be a major blow to its tourism-dependent economy. The airport in Bali`s capital Denpasar has not been affected but several countries including Australia and Singapore have issued travel advisories warning travellers to exercise caution. In anticipation of an eruption, Indonesia plans to divert flights headed for Bali to ten other airports, including on nearby Lombok and to the capital Jakarta. "The planes will be diverted to their nearest location or where it originally took off from," transport minister Budi Karya Sumadi said. Airlines are watching the situation closely and 100 buses have been prepared to evacuate tourists. Virgin Australia said it would be making an extra fuel stop in Darwin for some of its flights between Australia and Bali in case it is forced to turn back. Singapore Airlines said customers travelling between September 23 and October 2 could rebook flights or ask for a refund. Officials announced the highest possible alert level on Friday due to the increasing volcanic activity, and told people to stay at least nine kilometres away from the crater. The Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation recorded almost 300 tremors Wednesday morning. A thin column of smoke can be seen rising from the mountain`s summit. Indonesia lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. Mount Agung last erupted in 1963, killing nearly 1,600 people.

Indonesia ready to divert tourists as Bali volcano rumbles

Turkey&#39;s foreign minister will travel to Bangladesh to hold meetings about the fighting in northwestern Myanmar, sources from the ministry said on Tuesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ahead-of-modis-visit-to-myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyi-under-pressure-to-end-rohingya-crisis-19884">Myanmar has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations</a> to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims after at least 400 people were killed and nearly 125,000 fled to Bangladesh in the deadliest bout of violence targeting the minority group in decades.

Mevlut Cavusoglu will travel to Bangladesh from Baku on Wednesday evening, the sources said. President Tayyip Erdogan has said the death of Rohingya Muslims constituted a genocide.

Myanmar has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations

Turkey's foreign minister will travel to Bangladesh to hold meetings about the fighting in northwestern Myanmar, sources from the ministry said on Tuesday. Myanmar has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims after at least 400 people were killed and nearly 125,000 fled to Bangladesh in the deadliest bout of violence targeting the minority group in decades. Mevlut Cavusoglu will travel to Bangladesh from Baku on Wednesday evening, the sources said. President Tayyip Erdogan has said the death of Rohingya Muslims constituted a genocide.

Turkish foreign minister to visit Bangladesh to discuss Myanmar issue: Sources

Indonesian police have pledged to bar Islamist groups from staging a rally on Friday at the Borobudur Buddhist temple in central Java to protest against the persecution of Myanmar&#39;s Rohingya Muslims.

Islamist groups say they plan the demonstration close to the stupa-topped Borobudur temple, which dates from the 9th century and is a popular tourist site, to call for an end to violence against the religious and ethnic minority in Myanmar.

Indonesia has the world&#39;s largest population of Muslims and there have been a number of anti-Myanmar protests in Jakarta and the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur over the treatment of Buddhist-majority Myanmar&#39;s roughly 1.1 million Rohingyas.

Almost 125,000 Rohingyas have been forced to flee clashes between Rohingya insurgents and the army in the northwest Rakhine state. Tens of thousands have crossed the border into neighbouring Bangladesh.

&quot;The action at Borobudur temple will be prohibited,&quot; National Police Chief Tito Karnavian told reporters, according to media.

&quot;This is not just part of the heritage of Indonesia, but that of the world. There is no need for protests in response to the Rohingya conflict because the Indonesian government is taking action on it already.&quot;

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Monday met Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and top security officials to call for a halt to the bloodshed. Marsudi was due in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, on Tuesday.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed &quot;deep anguish at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims&quot; and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take &quot;immediate and effective action to bring an end to all human-rights violations against innocent and unarmed Rohingya Muslim population&quot;.

An organiser of Friday&#39;s planned protest said the groups wanted to protest peacefully near the Borobodur temple to show Indonesia&#39;s tolerance.

&quot;The Borobudur is an extraordinary symbol of tolerance,&quot; said Anang Imamuddin. &quot;We want the world to know that it is in a majority Muslim country but it is safe. Buddhist monks are safe here too.&quot;

Islamist groups say they plan the demonstration close to the stupa-topped Borobudur temple, to call for an end to violence against the religious and ethnic minority in Myanmar.

Indonesian police have pledged to bar Islamist groups from staging a rally on Friday at the Borobudur Buddhist temple in central Java to protest against the persecution of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims. Islamist groups say they plan the demonstration close to the stupa-topped Borobudur temple, which dates from the 9th century and is a popular tourist site, to call for an end to violence against the religious and ethnic minority in Myanmar. Indonesia has the world's largest population of Muslims and there have been a number of anti-Myanmar protests in Jakarta and the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur over the treatment of Buddhist-majority Myanmar's roughly 1.1 million Rohingyas. Almost 125,000 Rohingyas have been forced to flee clashes between Rohingya insurgents and the army in the northwest Rakhine state. Tens of thousands have crossed the border into neighbouring Bangladesh. "The action at Borobudur temple will be prohibited," National Police Chief Tito Karnavian told reporters, according to media. "This is not just part of the heritage of Indonesia, but that of the world. There is no need for protests in response to the Rohingya conflict because the Indonesian government is taking action on it already." Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Monday met Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and top security officials to call for a halt to the bloodshed. Marsudi was due in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, on Tuesday. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed "deep anguish at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims" and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take "immediate and effective action to bring an end to all human-rights violations against innocent and unarmed Rohingya Muslim population". An organiser of Friday's planned protest said the groups wanted to protest peacefully near the Borobodur temple to show Indonesia's tolerance. "The Borobudur is an extraordinary symbol of tolerance," said Anang Imamuddin. "We want the world to know that it is in a majority Muslim country but it is safe. Buddhist monks are safe here too."

Indonesia to bar Myanmar protest at world's biggest Buddhist temple

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indonesian-minister-to-meet-suu-kyi-amid-protests-over-rohingya-19834">Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi</a> has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations including Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims after nearly 125,000 of them fled to Bangladesh.

Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday.

&quot;The security authorities need to immediately stop all forms of violence there and provide humanitarian assistance and development aid for the short and long term,&quot; Retno said after her meetings in the Myanmar capital.

The latest violence in Myanmar&#39;s northwestern Rakhine state began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh.

The treatment of Buddhist-majority Myanmar&#39;s roughly 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya is the biggest challenge facing Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out for the minority that has long complained of persecution.

Myanmar says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against &quot;terrorists&quot; responsible for a string of attacks on police posts and the army since last October.

Myanmar officials blamed Rohingya militants for the burning of homes and civilian deaths but rights monitors and Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh say the Myanmar army is trying to force Rohingya out with a campaign of arson and killings.

&quot;Indonesia is taking the lead on this and ultimately there is a possibility of ASEAN countries joining in,&quot; H.T. Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told Reuters, referring to the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, of which both Myanmar and Indonesia are members.

&quot;If we can keep the pressure on Myanmar from ASEAN, from India as well, that will be good.&quot;

CONSCIENCE AWAKENED?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a visit to Myanmar later on Tuesday, during which he is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi.

&quot;PM Modi is going there and our foreign secretary has already briefed the foreign secretary of India on this. If international conscience is awakened then that would put pressure on Myanmar,&quot; said H.T. Imam.

The latest estimate of the number of people who have crossed the border into Bangladesh since Aug. 25, based on calculations by U.N. workers on the Bangladeshi side, is 123,600.

That takes to about 210,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October, when Rohingya insurgents staged much smaller attacks on security posts, triggering a major Myanmar army counteroffensive and sending about 87,000 people fleeing into Bangladesh.

The new arrivals - many sick or wounded with burns or bullet wounds - have strained aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous spasms of violence in Myanmar.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed &quot;deep anguish at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims&quot; and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take &quot;immediate and effective action to bring an end to all human-rights violations against innocent and unarmed Rohingya Muslim population&quot;.

Pakistan is home to a large Rohingya community.

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, on Monday called on Suu Kyi to condemn the &quot;shameful&quot; treatment of the Rohingya, saying &quot;the world is waiting&quot; for her to speak out.

Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has come under pressure from countries with large Muslim populations including Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims after nearly 125,000 of them fled to Bangladesh. Indonesian foreign minister met the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing on Monday to call on Myanmar to halt the bloodshed. The minister, Retno Marsudi, was due in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday. "The security authorities need to immediately stop all forms of violence there and provide humanitarian assistance and development aid for the short and long term," Retno said after her meetings in the Myanmar capital. The latest violence in Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine state began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh. The treatment of Buddhist-majority Myanmar's roughly 1.1 million Muslim Rohingya is the biggest challenge facing Suu Kyi, who has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out for the minority that has long complained of persecution. Myanmar says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against "terrorists" responsible for a string of attacks on police posts and the army since last October. Myanmar officials blamed Rohingya militants for the burning of homes and civilian deaths but rights monitors and Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh say the Myanmar army is trying to force Rohingya out with a campaign of arson and killings. "Indonesia is taking the lead on this and ultimately there is a possibility of ASEAN countries joining in," H.T. Imam, political adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told Reuters, referring to the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations, of which both Myanmar and Indonesia are members. "If we can keep the pressure on Myanmar from ASEAN, from India as well, that will be good." CONSCIENCE AWAKENED? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins a visit to Myanmar later on Tuesday, during which he is due to meet top officials, including Suu Kyi. "PM Modi is going there and our foreign secretary has already briefed the foreign secretary of India on this. If international conscience is awakened then that would put pressure on Myanmar," said H.T. Imam. The latest estimate of the number of people who have crossed the border into Bangladesh since Aug. 25, based on calculations by U.N. workers on the Bangladeshi side, is 123,600. That takes to about 210,000 the number of Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October, when Rohingya insurgents staged much smaller attacks on security posts, triggering a major Myanmar army counteroffensive and sending about 87,000 people fleeing into Bangladesh. The new arrivals - many sick or wounded with burns or bullet wounds - have strained aid agencies and communities already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous spasms of violence in Myanmar. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed "deep anguish at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims" and urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to take "immediate and effective action to bring an end to all human-rights violations against innocent and unarmed Rohingya Muslim population". Pakistan is home to a large Rohingya community. Malala Yousafzai, the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, on Monday called on Suu Kyi to condemn the "shameful" treatment of the Rohingya, saying "the world is waiting" for her to speak out.

Myanmar's Suu Kyi under pressure as almost 125,000 Rohingya flee violence

Indonesia&#39;s foreign minister is due to meet Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday to discuss delivering <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/thousands-of-rohingyas-seek-safety-in-bangladesh-as-clashes-in-myanamr-intensify-19661">humanitarian aid to members of Myanmar&#39;s Rohingya minority</a>, as Indonesian protesters urged their government to take a tougher line.

Dozens of I<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-violence-thousands-of-rohingyas-enter-bangladesh-more-stranded-in-no-mans-land-19554">ndonesians protested outside the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta</a> on Monday, calling for a cut in diplomatic ties with Myanmar over violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

Aid agencies estimate that about 90,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar into neighbouring Bangladesh since violence erupted in the north of Rakhine state last week.

&quot;We will discuss in detail Indonesia&#39;s proposal on how Indonesia can give humanitarian aid to Rakhine state,&quot; Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a video statement from the Myanmar city of Yangon.

She is also scheduled to travel to Bangladesh to urge authorities there to protect fleeing Rohingya refugees.

In a sign of mounting public anger in Jakarta, a petrol bomb was thrown at the Myanmar embassy on Sunday, causing a small fire.

The protests follow demonstrations in Malaysia and condemnation from world leaders such as President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who on Friday said the violence against Muslims amounted to genocide.

The Rohingya are denied citizenship in Myanmar and regarded as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots that date back centuries. Bangladesh is also growing increasingly hostile to Rohingya, more than 400,000 of whom live in the poor South Asian country after fleeing Myanmar since the early 1990s.

Indonesia is home to the world&#39;s largest population of Muslims. Its government has been actively involved in providing aid for Myanmar to develop Rakhine state and protect the rights of the Rohingya, alongside the majority Buddhist community.

Ifah Rohma, an activist from a Jakarta-based organisation called Muslim Friends of Rohingya, said many Indonesians as fellow Muslims were concerned about the fate of Rohingya.

&quot;Indonesia should not be engaging in soft diplomacy,&quot; Rohma said outside the Myanmar embassy, which was surrounded by heavy security and barbed wire.

&quot;Now is the time to cut ties, recall our ambassador and expel their ambassador,&quot; she said.

Myanmar says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against &quot;terrorists&quot; responsible for a string of attacks on police posts and the army since last October.

Dozens of Indonesians protested outside the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta on Monday, calling for a cut in diplomatic ties with Myanmar over violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

Indonesia's foreign minister is due to meet Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday to discuss delivering humanitarian aid to members of Myanmar's Rohingya minority, as Indonesian protesters urged their government to take a tougher line. Dozens of Indonesians protested outside the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta on Monday, calling for a cut in diplomatic ties with Myanmar over violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority. Aid agencies estimate that about 90,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar into neighbouring Bangladesh since violence erupted in the north of Rakhine state last week. "We will discuss in detail Indonesia's proposal on how Indonesia can give humanitarian aid to Rakhine state," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a video statement from the Myanmar city of Yangon. She is also scheduled to travel to Bangladesh to urge authorities there to protect fleeing Rohingya refugees. In a sign of mounting public anger in Jakarta, a petrol bomb was thrown at the Myanmar embassy on Sunday, causing a small fire. The protests follow demonstrations in Malaysia and condemnation from world leaders such as President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who on Friday said the violence against Muslims amounted to genocide. The Rohingya are denied citizenship in Myanmar and regarded as illegal immigrants, despite claiming roots that date back centuries. Bangladesh is also growing increasingly hostile to Rohingya, more than 400,000 of whom live in the poor South Asian country after fleeing Myanmar since the early 1990s. Indonesia is home to the world's largest population of Muslims. Its government has been actively involved in providing aid for Myanmar to develop Rakhine state and protect the rights of the Rohingya, alongside the majority Buddhist community. Ifah Rohma, an activist from a Jakarta-based organisation called Muslim Friends of Rohingya, said many Indonesians as fellow Muslims were concerned about the fate of Rohingya. "Indonesia should not be engaging in soft diplomacy," Rohma said outside the Myanmar embassy, which was surrounded by heavy security and barbed wire. "Now is the time to cut ties, recall our ambassador and expel their ambassador," she said. Myanmar says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against "terrorists" responsible for a string of attacks on police posts and the army since last October.

Indonesian minister to meet Suu Kyi amid protests over Rohingyas

Around <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/more-than-17-million-muslims-gather-for-start-of-hajj/2017/08/30/5f03d726-8d60-11e7-9c53-6a169beb0953_story.html?utm_term=.c7c4707d4140">1.7 million Muslims</a> have gathered this year in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage &ndash; <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/hajj">the hajj</a>. The five-day pilgrimage <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/middle-east-history/hajj-pilgrimage-islam?format=HB&amp;isbn=9781107030510#r1EAFLxwIhcoTB6d.97">is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation</a> for all Muslims who have the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey.

So, what is the hajj and what is its spiritual significance?

The fifth pillar

Millions of Muslims from diverse countries such as Indonesia, Russia, India, Cuba, Fiji, the United States, Nigeria and others congregate in Mecca during the last month of the Muslim lunar year.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/184265/width754/file-20170831-32045-gdggwc.jpg" />
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Pilgrims dressed in white garments. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aljazeeraenglish/4123390204/in/photolist-7hnsfy-dqsVVf-7duYF4-8RpkCH-79riDe-f7bkTc-4Hh1A1-5VrCdR-5EQert-aECwxs-WfuiKx-5Zp6RG-5vEWkL-5Zp3Nd-UkvMJu-bbLaB4-baMrWa-dnXjRu-aaj4Pe-7yfUEo-6X522A-aNLLcn-dtNpmB-prVQPP-xpBTq-efCN2o-7ZiP1B-7ab1dG-7ab1du-eg4WRc-689Sed-fntKkM-RaUt4-5YD77K-7iU1uN-Sk6Z3y-5Xbum3-8UiyE8-vNjgG-pS5hEz-62kErs-dtw7BT-RtMFKv-5L8q5Y-5MNzJw-aECKRw-S8Wdyh-2jjQt-Jq48b-baj3MZ">Al Jazeera English</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a>
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Pilgrims wear plain, white garments. Men drape seamless, unstitched clothing and women dress in plain white dresses and headscarves. The idea behind dressing simply is to mask any differences in wealth and status.

The pilgrimage is considered the fifth pillar of Islamic practice (the other four being the profession of faith, five daily prayers, charity and <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-ramadan-is-called-ramadan-6-questions-answered-77291">the fast of Ramadan</a>). In calling Muslims to perform the hajj, the Quran <a href="http://www.quranexplorer.com/quran/">says</a>,

&ldquo;Proclaim to men the Pilgrimage: they will come to thee on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path.&rdquo;

The rites of the hajj are believed to retrace events from the lives of prominent prophets such as Ibrahim and Ismail.

The first day of the hajj

Pilgrims start by circling <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">the &ldquo;Holy Kaaba</a>,&rdquo; the black, cube-shaped house of God (at the centre of the most sacred mosque in Mecca), seven times.

The Kaaba occupies a central place in the lives of Muslims. In all parts of the world, Muslims are expected to turn toward the Kaaba when performing their daily prayers.

Specific rules <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">concerning going around</a> the Kaaba are prescribed for pilgrims. They may also kiss, touch or approach the Kaaba during the pilgrimage as a sign of their respect and continued devotion.

The Quran tells the story of Ibrahim&rsquo;s sacrifice, who when commanded by God, agreed to sacrifice his son, Ismail. Muslims believe the Kaaba holds the black stone upon which Ibrahim was called to sacrifice Ismail.

In performing the rituals, they join in a long line of pilgrims to Mecca &ndash; <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-life-of-muhammad-9780196360331?cc=us&amp;lang=en&amp;">including Prophet Muhammad</a> &ndash; who circled the Kaaba.

Pilgrims then proceed to a ritual walking &ndash; about 100 meters from the Kaaba &ndash; to hills known as &ldquo;Safa&rdquo; and &ldquo;Marwah.&rdquo; Here they re-create <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/middle-east-history/hajj-pilgrimage-islam?format=HB&amp;isbn=9781107030510">another significant event</a> recorded in the Quran: when Ibrahim was granted a son by God through his Egyptian slave girl Hajar. After the birth of Ismail, God instructed Ibrahim to take Hajar and her newborn son out into the desert and leave them there. Ibrahim left them near the present-day location of the Kaaba. Ismail cried out with thirst and Hajar ran between two hills, looking for water until she turned to God for help.

God rewarded Hajar for her patience and sent his angel Jibreel to reveal a spring, which today is known as &ldquo;Zamzam Well.&rdquo; Pilgrims drink water from the sacred well and may take some home for blessings.

The second day of the hajj

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/184267/width754/file-20170831-22397-zsohp9.jpg" />
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Pilgrims praying on Arafat. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aljazeeraenglish/4135906354/in/photolist-7itASf-7ipEj8-7m6S5M-4kgEVJ-7iw61y-8TRppx-97r2W7-arbDH-7iscY6-7ifhd9-7ygqjr-7hX95R-fBsJ1X-7ykfkW-7ygrB8-7ygrne-7ykeTq-an6Zn-8TULHS-5Hycc7-5HtS4v-7ykf8J-5Hu33g-5HtUxP-7ygrbR-5HyeCd-5HtTPn-5HyrAE-8TUqFh-7ygrRD-8TRKpi-5HtRhv-8TRnNz-8TREd4-7ykdSq-4qY7wP-an6Zo-arbS4-qXKmg2-dcec1H-8TRzCc-8TUp9s-8TRU4c-7rR3ib-8TUVES-8TRJ9r-8TRH3K-8TRSuH-8TUUFE-8TRx2n">Al Jazeera English</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a>
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The hajj &ldquo;climaxes&rdquo; with a sojourn into the plains of Arafat near Mecca. There, pilgrims gather in tents, spend time with one another and perform prayers. Some pilgrims will ascend a hill known as the &ldquo;Mount of Mercy,&rdquo; where Prophet Muhammad delivered the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farewell_Sermon">farewell sermon</a> toward the end of his life.

They then proceed to an open plain near Mecca, often a highlight of the journey for many pilgrims. Muslims believe that the <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">spirit of God comes closer to Earth</a> in this place at the time of the pilgrimage.

As a scholar of global Islam, during my fieldwork, I have interviewed those who have gone on the hajj. They have described to me their personal experiences.

Many pilgrims, when standing in the plains of Arafat, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=LkmkAwAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA60&amp;lpg=PA60&amp;dq=a+close+communion+with+god+plains+of+arafat&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=xfljL0qqXO&amp;sig=ST3pnAIcye_QJ2ZbbcPA2gfMBIM&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjitdWOp4LWAhVDQiYKHamnA9QQ6AEIPjAG#v=onepage&amp;q=a%20close%20communion%20with%20god%20plains%20of%20arafat&amp;f=false">feel a close communion with God.</a>

Final three days

Afterwards, pilgrims move to Mina, also known as the Tent City, about five kilometres from the holy city of Mecca. Here, they reenact another part of the story of Ibrahim&rsquo;s test of faith in the sacrifice of his son.

They recall how Satan tried to tempt Ibrahim to disobey <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-muslims-celebrate-eid-twice-a-year-6-questions-answered-80949">God&rsquo;s call to sacrifice Ismail</a>. Ibrahim, however, remained unmoved and informed Ismail, who was willing to be sacrificed. To reenact Ibrahim&rsquo;s rebuff of Satan&rsquo;s temptation, pilgrims throw small stones at a stone pillar.

They then proceed to follow Ibrahim in the act of sacrifice. The Quran says just as Ibrahim attempted to kill his son, God intervened and a ram was sacrificed in place of Ismail. In remembrance, Muslims all over the world sacrifice an animal on this day. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-muslims-celebrate-eid-twice-a-year-6-questions-answered-80949">&ldquo;festival of the sacrifice&rdquo; is known as Eid al-Adha</a>.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/184266/width754/file-20170831-2020-czju2i.jpg" />
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Pilgrims stoning the devil in Mina. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aljazeeraenglish/4142094316/in/photolist-7iXrgk-7iXrAK-7iXrqk-7j2iPq-8U9pyc-7iXrtK-7iXrxn-7j2jd3-7j2jfj-7ykkpd-7j2iSQ-7j2jkf-7j2j7E-7iXrcV-7j2jFy-7j2jJU-7ykk2L-7iXr7Z-7iXriZ-7iXryR-7j2job-7j2iVd-7iBtP1-7j2jGS-7iXrSX-7ykhiS-7ygxAz-7iXrLe-7j2j2d-7ygwp8-8UbHdp">Al Jazeera English</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a>
</figcaption>
</figure>

Many pilgrims spend the next few days repeating the stoning at Mina (at least six more times) and going around the Holy Kaaba in Mecca (at least once more). Pilgrims also start to put on their everyday clothes <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">to indicate a transition to their worldly life</a>.

It is believed that a proper performance of the hajj can absolve Muslim pilgrims of any previous sins. However, Muslims also believe that just undertaking the pilgrimage is not enough: <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/middle-east-history/hajj-pilgrimage-islam#O3cwEbjxDttkhEyF.97">It is up to God to judge the pilgrimage as acceptable or not.</a>

Creating one Muslim community

The hajj is a massive <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/08/world/meast/how-hi-tech-manages-millions-during-the-hajj/index.html">organisational project</a> for the Saudi authorities. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/08/world/meast/how-hi-tech-manages-millions-during-the-hajj/index.html">Issues concerning</a> crowd management, security, traffic and tensions constantly plague the successful organisation of the annual event. A deadly stampede in 2015 left <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/25/middleeast/hajj-pilgrimage-stampede/index.html">over 700 dead</a>.

There are other ongoing tensions as well: Some <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-shia-sunni-divide-78216">Shia</a> governments such as Iran, for example, have levelled <a href="http://www.alterinter.org/spip.php?article4502">charges alleging discrimination</a> by <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-shia-sunni-divide-78216">Sunni</a> Saudi authorities. Furthermore, this year, citizens of <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/hajj-qataris-year-saudi-row-170825192148831.html">Qatar were not able to perform the hajj</a> following the decision by Saudi Arabia and three other Arab nations to sever diplomatic ties with the country.

To address such issues, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=6VeCWQfVNjkC&amp;q=OIC#v=snippet&amp;q=OIC&amp;f=false">many Muslims have called</a> for the <a href="http://www.oic-oci.org/">Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC)</a>, an intergovernmental organisation, to put together an international, multi-partisan committee to organise the pilgrimage.

Perhaps that could help avoid regional or sectarian conflicts. The hajj, after all, is any individual Muslim&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">single most</a> symbolic ritual act that reflects <a href="http://imjcr.com/journals/imjcr/Vol_3_No_1_June_2014/3.pdf">the ideal of unity</a>.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/83284/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />By requiring Muslims to do the same clothes, pray in the same spaces and perform the same rituals, the hajj creates a global Muslim community, with no class distinctions.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/explaining-the-muslim-pilgrimage-of-hajj-83284">original article</a>.

The goal of hajj is to create a global Muslim community, with no class distinctions but citizens of Qatar can't undertake hajj this year.

Around 1.7 million Muslims have gathered this year in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage – the hajj. The five-day pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for all Muslims who have the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey. So, what is the hajj and what is its spiritual significance? The fifth pillar Millions of Muslims from diverse countries such as Indonesia, Russia, India, Cuba, Fiji, the United States, Nigeria and others congregate in Mecca during the last month of the Muslim lunar year. Pilgrims dressed in white garments. Al Jazeera English, CC BY-NC Pilgrims wear plain, white garments. Men drape seamless, unstitched clothing and women dress in plain white dresses and headscarves. The idea behind dressing simply is to mask any differences in wealth and status. The pilgrimage is considered the fifth pillar of Islamic practice (the other four being the profession of faith, five daily prayers, charity and the fast of Ramadan). In calling Muslims to perform the hajj, the Quran says, “Proclaim to men the Pilgrimage: they will come to thee on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path.” The rites of the hajj are believed to retrace events from the lives of prominent prophets such as Ibrahim and Ismail. The first day of the hajj Pilgrims start by circling the “Holy Kaaba,” the black, cube-shaped house of God (at the centre of the most sacred mosque in Mecca), seven times. The Kaaba occupies a central place in the lives of Muslims. In all parts of the world, Muslims are expected to turn toward the Kaaba when performing their daily prayers. Specific rules concerning going around the Kaaba are prescribed for pilgrims. They may also kiss, touch or approach the Kaaba during the pilgrimage as a sign of their respect and continued devotion. The Quran tells the story of Ibrahim’s sacrifice, who when commanded by God, agreed to sacrifice his son, Ismail. Muslims believe the Kaaba holds the black stone upon which Ibrahim was called to sacrifice Ismail. In performing the rituals, they join in a long line of pilgrims to Mecca – including Prophet Muhammad – who circled the Kaaba. Pilgrims then proceed to a ritual walking – about 100 meters from the Kaaba – to hills known as “Safa” and “Marwah.” Here they re-create another significant event recorded in the Quran: when Ibrahim was granted a son by God through his Egyptian slave girl Hajar. After the birth of Ismail, God instructed Ibrahim to take Hajar and her newborn son out into the desert and leave them there. Ibrahim left them near the present-day location of the Kaaba. Ismail cried out with thirst and Hajar ran between two hills, looking for water until she turned to God for help. God rewarded Hajar for her patience and sent his angel Jibreel to reveal a spring, which today is known as “Zamzam Well.” Pilgrims drink water from the sacred well and may take some home for blessings. The second day of the hajj Pilgrims praying on Arafat. Al Jazeera English, CC BY-SA The hajj “climaxes” with a sojourn into the plains of Arafat near Mecca. There, pilgrims gather in tents, spend time with one another and perform prayers. Some pilgrims will ascend a hill known as the “Mount of Mercy,” where Prophet Muhammad delivered the farewell sermon toward the end of his life. They then proceed to an open plain near Mecca, often a highlight of the journey for many pilgrims. Muslims believe that the spirit of God comes closer to Earth in this place at the time of the pilgrimage. As a scholar of global Islam, during my fieldwork, I have interviewed those who have gone on the hajj. They have described to me their personal experiences. Many pilgrims, when standing in the plains of Arafat, feel a close communion with God. Final three days Afterwards, pilgrims move to Mina, also known as the Tent City, about five kilometres from the holy city of Mecca. Here, they reenact another part of the story of Ibrahim’s test of faith in the sacrifice of his son. They recall how Satan tried to tempt Ibrahim to disobey God’s call to sacrifice Ismail. Ibrahim, however, remained unmoved and informed Ismail, who was willing to be sacrificed. To reenact Ibrahim’s rebuff of Satan’s temptation, pilgrims throw small stones at a stone pillar. They then proceed to follow Ibrahim in the act of sacrifice. The Quran says just as Ibrahim attempted to kill his son, God intervened and a ram was sacrificed in place of Ismail. In remembrance, Muslims all over the world sacrifice an animal on this day. The “festival of the sacrifice” is known as Eid al-Adha. Pilgrims stoning the devil in Mina. Al Jazeera English, CC BY-SA Many pilgrims spend the next few days repeating the stoning at Mina (at least six more times) and going around the Holy Kaaba in Mecca (at least once more). Pilgrims also start to put on their everyday clothes to indicate a transition to their worldly life. It is believed that a proper performance of the hajj can absolve Muslim pilgrims of any previous sins. However, Muslims also believe that just undertaking the pilgrimage is not enough: It is up to God to judge the pilgrimage as acceptable or not. Creating one Muslim community The hajj is a massive organisational project for the Saudi authorities. Issues concerning crowd management, security, traffic and tensions constantly plague the successful organisation of the annual event. A deadly stampede in 2015 left over 700 dead. There are other ongoing tensions as well: Some Shia governments such as Iran, for example, have levelled charges alleging discrimination by Sunni Saudi authorities. Furthermore, this year, citizens of Qatar were not able to perform the hajj following the decision by Saudi Arabia and three other Arab nations to sever diplomatic ties with the country. To address such issues, many Muslims have called for the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an intergovernmental organisation, to put together an international, multi-partisan committee to organise the pilgrimage. Perhaps that could help avoid regional or sectarian conflicts. The hajj, after all, is any individual Muslim’s single most symbolic ritual act that reflects the ideal of unity. By requiring Muslims to do the same clothes, pray in the same spaces and perform the same rituals, the hajj creates a global Muslim community, with no class distinctions. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

What is the spiritual significance of hajj to a Muslim?

The G-20 (Group of 20)&nbsp;is an international forum which was formed with the purpose of establishing international cooperation on global economic and financial&nbsp;issues. The forum plays an important role in decision making on issues of international relevance.

G20 countries account for three-quarters of global trade. The G-20 countries produce more than&nbsp;80 per cent of the global economic&nbsp;output.&nbsp;

Around two-third&nbsp;of the global population lives in G-20 member countries.&nbsp;

The G-20 started in 1999 as a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis that sent shockwaves through the global economic community.

In 2008, the first G-20 Leaders&rsquo; Summit was held, and the group played a key role in responding to the global financial crisis that rattled world markets causing massive financial instabilty and leading to the collapse of financial institutions.&nbsp;Its decisive and coordinated actions boosted consumer and business confidence and supported the global&nbsp;economic recovery.&nbsp;

How it works 
Each year in December&nbsp;a different G-20 member country assumes presidency of the forum. To ensure continuity, the presidency is supported by a &ldquo;troika&rdquo; (Trio) made up of the current, immediate past and next host countries. Being an informal group, the group has no permanent secretariat.&nbsp;

The G-20 president is responsible for bringing together the G-20 agenda in consultation with other members and in response to developments in the global economy. The summit and the preparatory processes &ndash; often including more than 60 ministerial and working group meetings per year &ndash; are coordinated by the respective host country.

Members of G20 
The twenty members of the forum are :

<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
			<ul>
				<li>Argentina</li>
				<li>Australia</li>
				<li>Brazil</li>
				<li>Canada</li>
				<li>China</li>
				<li>France</li>
				<li>Germany</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
			<td>
			<ul>
				<li>India</li>
				<li>Indonesia</li>
				<li>Italy</li>
				<li>Japan</li>
				<li>Republic of Korea</li>
				<li>Mexico</li>
				<li>Russia</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
			<td>
			<ul>
				<li>Saudi Arabia</li>
				<li>South Africa</li>
				<li>Turkey</li>
				<li>The United Kingdom</li>
				<li>The united States</li>
				<li>The European Union</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/1-20170707014700.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
The map displays the member countries, which represent two-thirds of the world population (Image source: g20.org) (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

At the invitation of each Presidency, international organisations also regularly attend the G20 meetings. These organisations include the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the World Bank (WB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN). The German G20 Presidency has also invited the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2017.

Spain attends the G-20 Summits as a permanent guest. The Presidency can also invite representatives of regional organisations and guests to the G-20 Summit.&nbsp;

India and G20

India has enacted a number of legislations and taken steps to tackle issues like black money, terror financing and food security which can be traced back to G-20. &nbsp;

For instance, India enacted the&nbsp;National Food Security Act with the objective to provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of food at affordable prices to people.&nbsp;

India stands to gain from G-20 knowledge sharing and best practices of improving food security without increasing water consumption to unsustainable levels. The same can then also form part of implementation under the National Water Policy of India.

G-20 has emerged as an important forum where global leaders come together to discuss issues of international significance. At a time, when countries like US are turning inwards and showing signs of protectionism, forums like G-20 have assumed all the more importance to steer the global economic community.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

G20 is an international informal forum where India has made the mark of an emerging economy which aspires to take the world along with it towards development

The G-20 (Group of 20) is an international forum which was formed with the purpose of establishing international cooperation on global economic and financial issues. The forum plays an important role in decision making on issues of international relevance. G20 countries account for three-quarters of global trade. The G-20 countries produce more than 80 per cent of the global economic output. Around two-third of the global population lives in G-20 member countries. The G-20 started in 1999 as a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the aftermath of the Asian financial crisis that sent shockwaves through the global economic community. In 2008, the first G-20 Leaders’ Summit was held, and the group played a key role in responding to the global financial crisis that rattled world markets causing massive financial instabilty and leading to the collapse of financial institutions. Its decisive and coordinated actions boosted consumer and business confidence and supported the global economic recovery. How it works Each year in December a different G-20 member country assumes presidency of the forum. To ensure continuity, the presidency is supported by a “troika” (Trio) made up of the current, immediate past and next host countries. Being an informal group, the group has no permanent secretariat. The G-20 president is responsible for bringing together the G-20 agenda in consultation with other members and in response to developments in the global economy. The summit and the preparatory processes – often including more than 60 ministerial and working group meetings per year – are coordinated by the respective host country. Members of G20 The twenty members of the forum are : Argentina Australia Brazil Canada China France Germany India Indonesia Italy Japan Republic of Korea Mexico Russia Saudi Arabia South Africa Turkey The United Kingdom The united States The European Union The map displays the member countries, which represent two-thirds of the world population (Image source: g20.org) (Others) × At the invitation of each Presidency, international organisations also regularly attend the G20 meetings. These organisations include the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the World Bank (WB), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations (UN). The German G20 Presidency has also invited the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2017. Spain attends the G-20 Summits as a permanent guest. The Presidency can also invite representatives of regional organisations and guests to the G-20 Summit. India and G20 India has enacted a number of legislations and taken steps to tackle issues like black money, terror financing and food security which can be traced back to G-20. For instance, India enacted the National Food Security Act with the objective to provide food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of food at affordable prices to people. India stands to gain from G-20 knowledge sharing and best practices of improving food security without increasing water consumption to unsustainable levels. The same can then also form part of implementation under the National Water Policy of India. G-20 has emerged as an important forum where global leaders come together to discuss issues of international significance. At a time, when countries like US are turning inwards and showing signs of protectionism, forums like G-20 have assumed all the more importance to steer the global economic community.

All you need to know about G-20

Indonesia set minimum and maximum tariffs for online car-hailing services in a bid to ensure comparable pricing with conventional transport providers and address complaints of undercutting, sending shares of the nation&#39;s top two taxi firms soaring.

Ride-hailing services such as US group Uber Technologies, Southeast Asia&#39;s Grab and Indonesia&#39;s GO-JEK have heavily subsidised their drivers in Indonesia in order to gain market share in the country of 250 million people.

The transport ministry said that it had set a tariff range for online car-hailing services of 3,500-6,000 rupiah ($0.26-$0.45) per kilometre for the islands of Java, Bali and Sumatra.

For Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Papua, the range is 3,700-6,500 rupiah per kilometre.

The regulation kicked in on July 1 and will be evaluated in the next six months, the ministry said.

&quot;There has to be a balance between conventional and online transport, so that has to be regulated,&quot; Pudji Hartanto Iskandar, director-general of land transport at the ministry said. 
The news sent shares of Indonesia&#39;s two biggest taxi operators, PT Blue Bird Tbk and PT Express Transindo Utama Tbk, surging.

By 0340 GMT, Blue Bird shares jumped as much as 10.7 per cent, while Express gained as much as 4.3 per cent. The broader Jakarta stock exchange was 0.7 percent higher.

Drivers of Blue Bird and Express have called for a ban on ride-hailing services, claiming they were subject to less stringent requirements than conventional taxis.&nbsp;

Uber said in an emailed statement it had yet to receive a copy of Indonesia&#39;s regulations.

&quot;However, we remain committed to working with the government to find a path forward that accommodates the interests of riders and driver partners and supports innovation, competition and customer choice,&quot; Uber said.

Grab said it is ready to cooperate with the transport ministry and to comply with regulations.

&quot;After receiving direction from the government, we will review the policy and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that our driver-partners will still earn the best incomes when using the Grab platform,&quot; it said in an email.

GO-JEK did not provide an immediate comment. Blue Bird and Express did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

($1 = 13,325.00 rupiah)

Indonesia wants to ensure comparable pricing with conventional transport providers

Indonesia set minimum and maximum tariffs for online car-hailing services in a bid to ensure comparable pricing with conventional transport providers and address complaints of undercutting, sending shares of the nation's top two taxi firms soaring. Ride-hailing services such as US group Uber Technologies, Southeast Asia's Grab and Indonesia's GO-JEK have heavily subsidised their drivers in Indonesia in order to gain market share in the country of 250 million people. The transport ministry said that it had set a tariff range for online car-hailing services of 3,500-6,000 rupiah ($0.26-$0.45) per kilometre for the islands of Java, Bali and Sumatra. For Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Papua, the range is 3,700-6,500 rupiah per kilometre. The regulation kicked in on July 1 and will be evaluated in the next six months, the ministry said. "There has to be a balance between conventional and online transport, so that has to be regulated," Pudji Hartanto Iskandar, director-general of land transport at the ministry said. The news sent shares of Indonesia's two biggest taxi operators, PT Blue Bird Tbk and PT Express Transindo Utama Tbk, surging. By 0340 GMT, Blue Bird shares jumped as much as 10.7 per cent, while Express gained as much as 4.3 per cent. The broader Jakarta stock exchange was 0.7 percent higher. Drivers of Blue Bird and Express have called for a ban on ride-hailing services, claiming they were subject to less stringent requirements than conventional taxis. Uber said in an emailed statement it had yet to receive a copy of Indonesia's regulations. "However, we remain committed to working with the government to find a path forward that accommodates the interests of riders and driver partners and supports innovation, competition and customer choice," Uber said. Grab said it is ready to cooperate with the transport ministry and to comply with regulations. "After receiving direction from the government, we will review the policy and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that our driver-partners will still earn the best incomes when using the Grab platform," it said in an email. GO-JEK did not provide an immediate comment. Blue Bird and Express did not immediately respond to requests for comment. ($1 = 13,325.00 rupiah)

Indonesia sets tariff ranges for online car-hailing services

When an angry mob of Islamists threatened to burn down a place hosting a gay and lesbian film festival in Jakarta in 2010, Indonesian police came to protect those staging it.

A volunteer at the festival, Adi, 28, now fears that instead of safeguarding their rights authorities are targeting his community, forcing them to hide their lifestyles or even consider moving abroad.

Indonesia&#39;s Islamists have long sought to criminalise gay sex. The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the vigilante group that threatened the now defunct Q! film festival in Jakarta, has previously broken up what they said were gay parties and then urged the police to detain the men. But what is sending a new chill through the gay community is that police seem to have taken on the vice patrol role themselves. In May, officers detained 141 men in a raid on the Atlantis sauna, accusing them of involvement in a gay prostitution ring in a part of Jakarta that is also home to many heterosexual &quot;spas&quot;.

A month earlier, police raided a hotel in Indonesia&#39;s second-biggest city of Surabaya over an alleged &quot;sex party&quot; and made the 14 detained men undergo HIV tests before publicly releasing the results, local media reports said.

&quot;Before this, we used to think of the police as our safety net when mass organizations, or anyone claiming to represent the people, came to attack us,&quot; said Adi, who works in e-commerce and asked to be identified using only one name.

&quot;Now if I want to do anything, I&#39;ll do it in my apartment, in a private space,&quot; he said, adding he was thinking of emigrating.

&nbsp;

US&nbsp;CONGRESSIONAL LETTER

With the exception of the ultra-conservative Aceh province in northern Sumatra, where Islamic law is enforced and two men were publicly flogged last month for gay sex, homosexuality is legal in Indonesia, the world&#39;s most populous Muslim country.

Police denied targeting the LGBT community.

The police raided the Atlantis and the Surabaya hotel because the gatherings there had caused &quot;turmoil in the community&quot;, national police spokesman Rikwanto said. &quot;As long as they are kept private and their (LGBT community&#39;s) personal affairs are kept to themselves, then it will not be a problem,&quot; he said.

Indonesia&#39;s reputation for tolerance and pluralism was already under scrutiny after Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese Christian, was sentenced last month to two years in prison for blasphemy in a trial that came after mass Islamist-led rallies last year.

His case highlighted the role of Islamic vigilante groups like the FPI, who helped organise the protests against him. The groups are known for raiding bars and brothels during the fasting month of Ramadan. Some have been suspected in arson attacks on churches.

Predominantly Muslim Indonesia has substantial minorities of Christian, Buddhist, Hindus, Confucianists as well as non-Sunni Muslim creeds, such as Shias, who have expressed worries about the vigilantes.

Members of the US&nbsp;Congress sent a letter to the Indonesian government last week, stating their concern over the reports of possible human rights abuses targeting the gay community.

&quot;These attacks are an unfortunate symptom of the growing radicalisation in Indonesia that has targeted women, religious and ethnic minorities, and which could negatively impact diplomatic relations and foreign investments in your country, if left unchecked,&quot; said the letter signed by 35 congress members.

An Indonesian presidential spokesman declined to comment on the letter. President Joko Widodo last year gave qualified support for the gay community, telling the BBC &quot;there should be no discrimination against anyone&quot;, but noted homosexuality is not popular in his country.

Homosexuality remains a taboo topic with the public, which is why the gay community gathers away from the public eye in saunas and underground parties. A Pew Research Center poll in 2013 found 93 per cent of respondents in Indonesia disagreed that &quot;society should accept homosexuality&quot;.

&nbsp;

SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Activists say controversial anti-pornography laws, under which offenders can face up to 15 years&#39; jail, were being misused against some of those rounded up during the recent raids in Jakarta. Police also seemed to be using shaming tactics in the raids.

The men detained at Jakarta&#39;s Atlantis sauna were nearly all later released without charge, but not before being strip-searched, photographed and marched semi-naked from the venue into vehicles. Adding to their humiliation, photos were then shared on social media.

&quot;Honestly, after what happened, I&#39;m scared. Because what the police stripped naked was not just your body, but your name, your place of work. I&#39;m a lecturer so it could be a problem for me,&quot; said Ahmad, 33, who works at a university in Jakarta. He declined to give his full name or place of work, but nonetheless pledged he would not be deterred from visiting gay bars in Jakarta.

Amnesty International said the police raids were further evidence of an &quot;increasingly hostile environment&quot; for the gay community, fuelled over the past year by &quot;reckless, inflammatory and inaccurate statements made by public officials apparently under the guise of &lsquo;defending public morality&rsquo;.&quot;

Vice President Jusuf Kalla last year asked the United Nations Development Programme to stop $8 million of funding of LGBT-related activities in Indonesia, while Defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has suggested homosexuality was part of a &quot;proxy war&quot; waged by foreign states.

'Before this, we used to think of the police as our safety net when mass organisations, or anyone claiming to represent the people, came to attack us'

When an angry mob of Islamists threatened to burn down a place hosting a gay and lesbian film festival in Jakarta in 2010, Indonesian police came to protect those staging it. A volunteer at the festival, Adi, 28, now fears that instead of safeguarding their rights authorities are targeting his community, forcing them to hide their lifestyles or even consider moving abroad. Indonesia's Islamists have long sought to criminalise gay sex. The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the vigilante group that threatened the now defunct Q! film festival in Jakarta, has previously broken up what they said were gay parties and then urged the police to detain the men. But what is sending a new chill through the gay community is that police seem to have taken on the vice patrol role themselves. In May, officers detained 141 men in a raid on the Atlantis sauna, accusing them of involvement in a gay prostitution ring in a part of Jakarta that is also home to many heterosexual "spas". A month earlier, police raided a hotel in Indonesia's second-biggest city of Surabaya over an alleged "sex party" and made the 14 detained men undergo HIV tests before publicly releasing the results, local media reports said. "Before this, we used to think of the police as our safety net when mass organizations, or anyone claiming to represent the people, came to attack us," said Adi, who works in e-commerce and asked to be identified using only one name. "Now if I want to do anything, I'll do it in my apartment, in a private space," he said, adding he was thinking of emigrating. US CONGRESSIONAL LETTER With the exception of the ultra-conservative Aceh province in northern Sumatra, where Islamic law is enforced and two men were publicly flogged last month for gay sex, homosexuality is legal in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country. Police denied targeting the LGBT community. The police raided the Atlantis and the Surabaya hotel because the gatherings there had caused "turmoil in the community", national police spokesman Rikwanto said. "As long as they are kept private and their (LGBT community's) personal affairs are kept to themselves, then it will not be a problem," he said. Indonesia's reputation for tolerance and pluralism was already under scrutiny after Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese Christian, was sentenced last month to two years in prison for blasphemy in a trial that came after mass Islamist-led rallies last year. His case highlighted the role of Islamic vigilante groups like the FPI, who helped organise the protests against him. The groups are known for raiding bars and brothels during the fasting month of Ramadan. Some have been suspected in arson attacks on churches. Predominantly Muslim Indonesia has substantial minorities of Christian, Buddhist, Hindus, Confucianists as well as non-Sunni Muslim creeds, such as Shias, who have expressed worries about the vigilantes. Members of the US Congress sent a letter to the Indonesian government last week, stating their concern over the reports of possible human rights abuses targeting the gay community. "These attacks are an unfortunate symptom of the growing radicalisation in Indonesia that has targeted women, religious and ethnic minorities, and which could negatively impact diplomatic relations and foreign investments in your country, if left unchecked," said the letter signed by 35 congress members. An Indonesian presidential spokesman declined to comment on the letter. President Joko Widodo last year gave qualified support for the gay community, telling the BBC "there should be no discrimination against anyone", but noted homosexuality is not popular in his country. Homosexuality remains a taboo topic with the public, which is why the gay community gathers away from the public eye in saunas and underground parties. A Pew Research Center poll in 2013 found 93 per cent of respondents in Indonesia disagreed that "society should accept homosexuality". SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA Activists say controversial anti-pornography laws, under which offenders can face up to 15 years' jail, were being misused against some of those rounded up during the recent raids in Jakarta. Police also seemed to be using shaming tactics in the raids. The men detained at Jakarta's Atlantis sauna were nearly all later released without charge, but not before being strip-searched, photographed and marched semi-naked from the venue into vehicles. Adding to their humiliation, photos were then shared on social media. "Honestly, after what happened, I'm scared. Because what the police stripped naked was not just your body, but your name, your place of work. I'm a lecturer so it could be a problem for me," said Ahmad, 33, who works at a university in Jakarta. He declined to give his full name or place of work, but nonetheless pledged he would not be deterred from visiting gay bars in Jakarta. Amnesty International said the police raids were further evidence of an "increasingly hostile environment" for the gay community, fuelled over the past year by "reckless, inflammatory and inaccurate statements made by public officials apparently under the guise of ‘defending public morality’." Vice President Jusuf Kalla last year asked the United Nations Development Programme to stop $8 million of funding of LGBT-related activities in Indonesia, while Defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has suggested homosexuality was part of a "proxy war" waged by foreign states.

Indonesia's gay community driven underground after police raids

Facebook has received an in-principle approval to set up a domestic unit in Indonesia.&nbsp;

 
The country has been pushing multinational technology firms to be locally incorporated. It believes that companies such as Alphabet Google set up small business entities to provide &quot;auxiliary&quot; services and get away with minimal taxation while booking most of their revenue from the country elsewhere.

 
Facebook currently operates in Indonesia through an office in central Jakarta.

 
&quot;I see good intention and spirit from Facebook,&quot; said Thomas Lembong, chairman of Indonesia&#39;s investment coordinating board. &quot;What we care about are taxes and responsible content.&quot; He added that the investment board and the communications ministry are currently looking at the type of business unit that Facebook will establish.

 
There are several ways to be locally incorporated in the country, including setting up a limited liability company, locally known as a PT (Perseroan Terbatas).

 
Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The country has been pushing multinational technology firms as it believes these companies set up small business entities to provide "auxiliary" services and get away with minimal taxation.

Facebook has received an in-principle approval to set up a domestic unit in Indonesia. The country has been pushing multinational technology firms to be locally incorporated. It believes that companies such as Alphabet Google set up small business entities to provide "auxiliary" services and get away with minimal taxation while booking most of their revenue from the country elsewhere. Facebook currently operates in Indonesia through an office in central Jakarta. "I see good intention and spirit from Facebook," said Thomas Lembong, chairman of Indonesia's investment coordinating board. "What we care about are taxes and responsible content." He added that the investment board and the communications ministry are currently looking at the type of business unit that Facebook will establish. There are several ways to be locally incorporated in the country, including setting up a limited liability company, locally known as a PT (Perseroan Terbatas). Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Indonesia assents to Facebook investment

There are about 1,200 Islamic State (IS) group operatives in the Philippines, including foreigners of whom 40 are from Indonesia, the Indonesian defence minister told an international security forum Sunday.

Speaking in Singapore amid a bloody standoff between Philippine troops and militants fighting under the IS flag in Marawi city, Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu called the militants &quot;killing machines&quot; and urged full-scale regional cooperation against them.

&quot;I was advised last night, 1,200 ISIS in the Philippines, around 40 from Indonesia,&quot; Ryacudu told the Shangri-La Dialogue, using another name for the IS group.&nbsp;

The threat of heightened terrorism, including the impending return of hundreds of Southeast Asian fighters who fought with IS in Syria and Iraq, has been a hot-button issue at the three-day Singapore summit also attended by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Hundreds of Islamist gunmen rampaged through Marawi, a largely Muslim city of 200,000 in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines, on May 23 after government forces attempted to arrest their leader, Isnilon Hapilon.&nbsp;

Up to 50 gunmen are still controlling the city centre nearly two weeks &nbsp;after the start of fighting that has killed 177 people including 120 militants.

&quot;How can we tackle these foreign fighters? We have to be comprehensive,&quot; said Ryacudu, a retired general.

&quot;We have to find... complete ways but we must exercise caution, they are killing machines. Their aim is to kill other people so that&#39;s why it&#39;s our responsibility that we have common understanding, consensus and common proceedings on how to fight these foreign fighters.&quot;

Philippine Defense Undersecretary Ricardo David, speaking at the same forum, said the 1,200 figure for total IS fighters in the Philippines mentioned by Indonesia was new to him.

&quot;I really don&#39;t know, my figure is about 250-400, a lot less,&quot; he told reporters.&nbsp;

But David said there were 40 foreign IS fighters among those who seized parts of Marawi, eight of whom have been killed by government forces.

Earlier, Philippine officials said the slain foreign fighters were from Malaysia, Indonesia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Chechnya.

&quot;Our intelligence estimates that there are about 40 foreigners that fought in the Marawi incident,&quot; David said.

The Philippine official added that the foreign fighters used &quot;back channels&quot; in the Sulu and Celebes Seas near the borders of the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia to enter the southern island of Mindanao and link up with local terror groups.

&quot;That&#39;s why they were able to muster the operations in the area of Marawi,&quot; David said.

(AFP)

The statement by the Indonesian defence minister comes amid a bloody standoff between Philippine troops and militants fighting under the IS flag in Marawi city

There are about 1,200 Islamic State (IS) group operatives in the Philippines, including foreigners of whom 40 are from Indonesia, the Indonesian defence minister told an international security forum Sunday. Speaking in Singapore amid a bloody standoff between Philippine troops and militants fighting under the IS flag in Marawi city, Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu called the militants "killing machines" and urged full-scale regional cooperation against them. "I was advised last night, 1,200 ISIS in the Philippines, around 40 from Indonesia," Ryacudu told the Shangri-La Dialogue, using another name for the IS group. The threat of heightened terrorism, including the impending return of hundreds of Southeast Asian fighters who fought with IS in Syria and Iraq, has been a hot-button issue at the three-day Singapore summit also attended by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Hundreds of Islamist gunmen rampaged through Marawi, a largely Muslim city of 200,000 in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines, on May 23 after government forces attempted to arrest their leader, Isnilon Hapilon. Up to 50 gunmen are still controlling the city centre nearly two weeks after the start of fighting that has killed 177 people including 120 militants. "How can we tackle these foreign fighters? We have to be comprehensive," said Ryacudu, a retired general. "We have to find... complete ways but we must exercise caution, they are killing machines. Their aim is to kill other people so that's why it's our responsibility that we have common understanding, consensus and common proceedings on how to fight these foreign fighters." Philippine Defense Undersecretary Ricardo David, speaking at the same forum, said the 1,200 figure for total IS fighters in the Philippines mentioned by Indonesia was new to him. "I really don't know, my figure is about 250-400, a lot less," he told reporters. But David said there were 40 foreign IS fighters among those who seized parts of Marawi, eight of whom have been killed by government forces. Earlier, Philippine officials said the slain foreign fighters were from Malaysia, Indonesia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Chechnya. "Our intelligence estimates that there are about 40 foreigners that fought in the Marawi incident," David said. The Philippine official added that the foreign fighters used "back channels" in the Sulu and Celebes Seas near the borders of the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia to enter the southern island of Mindanao and link up with local terror groups. "That's why they were able to muster the operations in the area of Marawi," David said. (AFP)

Indonesian defence minister says 1,200 IS operatives in Philippines

Islamic State clamed responsibility for Jakarta bus station attacks that left at least three policemen dead and 12 others wounded on Wednesday.

&quot;The executor of the attack on the Indonesian police gathering in Jakarta was an Islamic State fighter,&quot; the group&#39;s news agency Amaq said.

The attack was the deadliest in Indonesia since January 2016, when eight people were killed, four of them attackers, after suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the capital.

(Reuters)

The attack was the deadliest in Indonesia since January 2016

Islamic State clamed responsibility for Jakarta bus station attacks that left at least three policemen dead and 12 others wounded on Wednesday. "The executor of the attack on the Indonesian police gathering in Jakarta was an Islamic State fighter," the group's news agency Amaq said. The attack was the deadliest in Indonesia since January 2016, when eight people were killed, four of them attackers, after suicide bombers and gunmen attacked the capital. (Reuters)

Islamic State claims Jakarta attack that killed 3 policemen, wounded 12 others

A suspected suicide bomb attack in&nbsp;a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian capital Jakarta has left three policemen dead and ten people injured, Reuters reported.

Indonesian police had said earlier&nbsp;that there had been two explosions in the eastern part of the capital Jakarta at the Kampung Melayu terminal.

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A suspected suicide bomb attack in a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian capital Jakarta has left three policemen dead and ten people injured, Reuters reported (WION)
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&quot;There has been a bomb, for now we suspect it is a suicide bombing,&quot; deputy national police chief Syafruddin told TV station TVOne.

He said the bomber was killed along with one police officer.

Andry Wibowo, the head of East Jakarta police, told Metro TV that people had heard two explosions and three people had been hurt.

&quot;From the damage, I can see the explosions were pretty big,&quot;&nbsp;Andry Wibowo said.

There were two blasts at around 9:00pm (local time), close to each other, there are three victims,&quot; Andry Wibowo said.

(WION with Agency inputs)

Indonesian police said there had been two explosions in the eastern part of the capital Jakarta near a bus station

A suspected suicide bomb attack in a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian capital Jakarta has left three policemen dead and ten people injured, Reuters reported. Indonesian police had said earlier that there had been two explosions in the eastern part of the capital Jakarta at the Kampung Melayu terminal. A suspected suicide bomb attack in a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian capital Jakarta has left three policemen dead and ten people injured, Reuters reported (WION) × "There has been a bomb, for now we suspect it is a suicide bombing," deputy national police chief Syafruddin told TV station TVOne. He said the bomber was killed along with one police officer. Andry Wibowo, the head of East Jakarta police, told Metro TV that people had heard two explosions and three people had been hurt. "From the damage, I can see the explosions were pretty big," Andry Wibowo said. There were two blasts at around 9:00pm (local time), close to each other, there are three victims," Andry Wibowo said. (WION with Agency inputs)

Suicide attack in Jakarta, 3 policemen killed

Religious police in Indonesia caned two men for gay sex on Tuesday, with hooded men inflicting 82 lashes on each of them as hundreds of people watched the punishment ordered by an Islamic court.

Cheers and applause went up from a crowd gathered outside a mosque in the city of Banda Aceh, capital of the conservative province of Aceh, as the masked men took turns to flog the pair on a raised platform.

The men stood quietly, their heads down, as spectators heckled them and shouted insults.

The punishment, condemned by rights groups, marked the first application of anti-homosexuality laws introduced in the province in 2014.

Aceh has long had a reputation as Indonesia&#39;s most conservative region. It is the only province that criminalises same-sex relations and that uses Islamic law as its legal code in addition to the national criminal code.

Up to 1,000 people, many filming with smartphones, watched as the two men received 82 lashes each. Many others watched the punishment being meted out on a livestream video.

Some in the crowd carried banners rejecting the presence of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Aceh.

&quot;I hope there won&#39;t be any more such cases of homosexuality, it is shocking,&quot; said Eni Tri Retnaningsih, a 20-year-old student who said she had watched others caned before for other offences such as adultery.

At least eight other men and women were caned for other offences ahead of the punishment of the two found guilty of having gay sex.

Police separated men and women in the crowd as proceedings began, with 10 men in brown robes and hoods preparing a bundle of canes in case any broke during the flogging.

&nbsp;

UNDER PRESSURE

The beatings were delivered on the clothed backs of the men and women, some of whom cried out in pain with each stroke. In some cases, the caning was suspended briefly if the offender signalled they were in too much pain.

At the end of the lashing, the two men were helped off the platform. They were free to return to their families, authorities said.

Aceh is Indonesia&#39;s most westerly province, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, where Islam first took hold in the archipelago.

The province caned 339 people in 2016 for a range of crimes, according to Human Rights Watch.

Indonesia has the world&#39;s largest population of Muslims but is officially a secular country. Most Muslims practice a moderate form of the religion.

Religious police in Aceh have also been known to rebuke Muslim women without headscarves or those wearing tight clothes, and people drinking alcohol or gambling.

Aceh is the only province allowed to implement sharia Islamic law under a special agreement that was signed in 2005 to bring an end to a bloody separatist movement.

Homosexuality is not illegal under Indonesian national law, but the LGBT community has come under pressure since government officials expressed reservations last year about activism by its members.

Police in the capital, Jakarta, detained more than 140 men in a raid on a gay club on Sunday on suspicion of violating pornography laws.

Rights groups and activists have raised concern over the persecution of minorities, moral policing and violations of privacy and expression.

A presidential spokesman declined to comment on the caning.

(Reuters)

Religious police beat the men while hundreds watched the punishment ordered by an Islamic court

Religious police in Indonesia caned two men for gay sex on Tuesday, with hooded men inflicting 82 lashes on each of them as hundreds of people watched the punishment ordered by an Islamic court. Cheers and applause went up from a crowd gathered outside a mosque in the city of Banda Aceh, capital of the conservative province of Aceh, as the masked men took turns to flog the pair on a raised platform. The men stood quietly, their heads down, as spectators heckled them and shouted insults. The punishment, condemned by rights groups, marked the first application of anti-homosexuality laws introduced in the province in 2014. Aceh has long had a reputation as Indonesia's most conservative region. It is the only province that criminalises same-sex relations and that uses Islamic law as its legal code in addition to the national criminal code. Up to 1,000 people, many filming with smartphones, watched as the two men received 82 lashes each. Many others watched the punishment being meted out on a livestream video. Some in the crowd carried banners rejecting the presence of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Aceh. "I hope there won't be any more such cases of homosexuality, it is shocking," said Eni Tri Retnaningsih, a 20-year-old student who said she had watched others caned before for other offences such as adultery. At least eight other men and women were caned for other offences ahead of the punishment of the two found guilty of having gay sex. Police separated men and women in the crowd as proceedings began, with 10 men in brown robes and hoods preparing a bundle of canes in case any broke during the flogging. UNDER PRESSURE The beatings were delivered on the clothed backs of the men and women, some of whom cried out in pain with each stroke. In some cases, the caning was suspended briefly if the offender signalled they were in too much pain. At the end of the lashing, the two men were helped off the platform. They were free to return to their families, authorities said. Aceh is Indonesia's most westerly province, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, where Islam first took hold in the archipelago. The province caned 339 people in 2016 for a range of crimes, according to Human Rights Watch. Indonesia has the world's largest population of Muslims but is officially a secular country. Most Muslims practice a moderate form of the religion. Religious police in Aceh have also been known to rebuke Muslim women without headscarves or those wearing tight clothes, and people drinking alcohol or gambling. Aceh is the only province allowed to implement sharia Islamic law under a special agreement that was signed in 2005 to bring an end to a bloody separatist movement. Homosexuality is not illegal under Indonesian national law, but the LGBT community has come under pressure since government officials expressed reservations last year about activism by its members. Police in the capital, Jakarta, detained more than 140 men in a raid on a gay club on Sunday on suspicion of violating pornography laws. Rights groups and activists have raised concern over the persecution of minorities, moral policing and violations of privacy and expression. A presidential spokesman declined to comment on the caning. (Reuters)

Two men publicly caned in Indonesia for having gay sex

The Indonesian government said the global cyber attack that takes computer data hostage is likely to cause more havoc when offices reopen for business on Monday.

A large hospital in Jakarta was struck by the &quot;ransomware&quot; unleashed on Friday, but there has been no evidence so far to suggest that Indonesia was one of the worst-hit countries.&nbsp;

Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara urged companies to update their security before connecting computers to local area networks when the week starts.

&quot;This is crucial for businesses when reopening on Monday, please beware and anticipate, and take preventive steps against the WannaCry malware attack,&quot; Rudiantara told a news conference.

Cyber extortionists tricked victims into opening malicious malware attachments to spam emails. The ransomware encrypts data on computers, demanding payments of $300-$600 to restore access.

The attack, which leverages hacking tools believed to have been developed by the US&nbsp;National Security Agency, has infected tens of thousands of computers in nearly 100 countries.&nbsp;

Globally, hospitals, companies, and universities have been affected, with the most disruptive attacks reported in Britain, where hospitals and clinics were forced to turn away patients after losing access to computers on Friday.&nbsp;

The Indonesian minister advised those hit by the malware against paying ransoms to regain access to encrypted data, as there was no guarantee the virus spreader would decrypt files.

On Saturday, an official at his ministry said that at least two Jakarta hospitals, Dharmais and Harapan Kita, were affected by the attack.&nbsp;

Harapan Kita later denied it had been affected.

In Dharmais, a nurse reported at 5 a m&nbsp;on Saturday that a computer unit was displaying a message demanding $300, according to a hospital staff member, who only gave his name as Willy.

An hour later, many more computers were found to be infected and hospital staff said that data was locked on about 400 units in all at the hospital.

The attack has not affected critical health services but has caused bottlenecks in patient admissions process, Willy said.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

The country's communication and information minister urged companies to update their security before connecting computers to local area networks when the week starts.

The Indonesian government said the global cyber attack that takes computer data hostage is likely to cause more havoc when offices reopen for business on Monday. A large hospital in Jakarta was struck by the "ransomware" unleashed on Friday, but there has been no evidence so far to suggest that Indonesia was one of the worst-hit countries. Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara urged companies to update their security before connecting computers to local area networks when the week starts. "This is crucial for businesses when reopening on Monday, please beware and anticipate, and take preventive steps against the WannaCry malware attack," Rudiantara told a news conference. Cyber extortionists tricked victims into opening malicious malware attachments to spam emails. The ransomware encrypts data on computers, demanding payments of $300-$600 to restore access. The attack, which leverages hacking tools believed to have been developed by the US National Security Agency, has infected tens of thousands of computers in nearly 100 countries. Globally, hospitals, companies, and universities have been affected, with the most disruptive attacks reported in Britain, where hospitals and clinics were forced to turn away patients after losing access to computers on Friday. The Indonesian minister advised those hit by the malware against paying ransoms to regain access to encrypted data, as there was no guarantee the virus spreader would decrypt files. On Saturday, an official at his ministry said that at least two Jakarta hospitals, Dharmais and Harapan Kita, were affected by the attack. Harapan Kita later denied it had been affected. In Dharmais, a nurse reported at 5 a m on Saturday that a computer unit was displaying a message demanding $300, according to a hospital staff member, who only gave his name as Willy. An hour later, many more computers were found to be infected and hospital staff said that data was locked on about 400 units in all at the hospital. The attack has not affected critical health services but has caused bottlenecks in patient admissions process, Willy said. (Reuters)

Indonesia warns of more cyber attack havoc as business week starts

Supporters of Jakarta&#39;s Christian governor staged a colourful rally outside city hall Wednesday a day after he was jailed for blasphemy, in a case that has damaged Indonesia&#39;s image as a bastion of tolerant Islam.

A crowd wearing red and white -- the colours of the Indonesian flag -- gathered outside the colonial-era building calling for Basuki Tjahaja Purnama&#39;s release, and singing the country&#39;s national anthem.

&quot;Let&#39;s fight for justice,&quot; said acting governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, who was Purnama&#39;s deputy and has taken over his powers, to cheers from the crowd.

Purnama was jailed Tuesday for two years after being found guilty of blasphemy against Islam, a shock decision after prosecutors recommended only probation.

The jail sentence and his loss in last month&#39;s Jakarta&#39;s election to a Muslim rival amid the blasphemy controversy have stoked concerns that a much-vaunted brand of tolerant Islam in the world&#39;s most populous Muslim-majority country is under threat.

The United Nations and European Union have expressed concerns over the verdict while Amnesty International said it &quot;will tarnish Indonesia&rsquo;s reputation for tolerance&quot;.

Despite the claims he insulted Islam, Purnama, 50, retained a loyal following due to his determined efforts to clean up the chaotic Indonesian capital.&nbsp;

Over 1,000 supporters packed out the courtyard of city hall at the rally, chanting &quot;Free Ahok&quot;.

&quot;I admire Ahok, the way he leads, regardless of his religion,&quot; said Diana Sari, 49, adding she was a Muslim.

Acting governor Hidayat added: &quot;Last night I met with Ahok and he wants me to convey this message: &#39;We have to respect whatever the judges have decided, but the fight is not over yet&#39;.&quot;

Purnama, Jakarta&#39;s first Christian governor for half a century and its first ethnic Chinese leader, was transferred early Wednesday to a high-security detention facility outside the capital after hundreds of supporters descended on the jail where he was initially sent.

Islamic hardliners -- who led a series of mass protests last year against Purnama -- celebrated after the verdict was handed down, although some were angry the governor did not receive the maximum jail term of five years.

The blasphemy allegations stemmed from comments that Purnama made in September in a pre-election speech, in which he accused his rivals of using a Koranic verse to trick people into voting against him.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

'Let's fight for justice,' said acting governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat

Supporters of Jakarta's Christian governor staged a colourful rally outside city hall Wednesday a day after he was jailed for blasphemy, in a case that has damaged Indonesia's image as a bastion of tolerant Islam. A crowd wearing red and white -- the colours of the Indonesian flag -- gathered outside the colonial-era building calling for Basuki Tjahaja Purnama's release, and singing the country's national anthem. "Let's fight for justice," said acting governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat, who was Purnama's deputy and has taken over his powers, to cheers from the crowd. Purnama was jailed Tuesday for two years after being found guilty of blasphemy against Islam, a shock decision after prosecutors recommended only probation. The jail sentence and his loss in last month's Jakarta's election to a Muslim rival amid the blasphemy controversy have stoked concerns that a much-vaunted brand of tolerant Islam in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country is under threat. The United Nations and European Union have expressed concerns over the verdict while Amnesty International said it "will tarnish Indonesia’s reputation for tolerance". Despite the claims he insulted Islam, Purnama, 50, retained a loyal following due to his determined efforts to clean up the chaotic Indonesian capital. Over 1,000 supporters packed out the courtyard of city hall at the rally, chanting "Free Ahok". "I admire Ahok, the way he leads, regardless of his religion," said Diana Sari, 49, adding she was a Muslim. Acting governor Hidayat added: "Last night I met with Ahok and he wants me to convey this message: 'We have to respect whatever the judges have decided, but the fight is not over yet'." Purnama, Jakarta's first Christian governor for half a century and its first ethnic Chinese leader, was transferred early Wednesday to a high-security detention facility outside the capital after hundreds of supporters descended on the jail where he was initially sent. Islamic hardliners -- who led a series of mass protests last year against Purnama -- celebrated after the verdict was handed down, although some were angry the governor did not receive the maximum jail term of five years. The blasphemy allegations stemmed from comments that Purnama made in September in a pre-election speech, in which he accused his rivals of using a Koranic verse to trick people into voting against him. (AFP)

Supporters rally for Jakarta's jailed Christian governor

An Indonesian court is expected to decide on Tuesday whether Jakarta&rsquo;s Christian governor is guilty of blasphemy against Islam, in a trial that is widely seen as a test of religious tolerance in the world&#39;s largest Muslim-majority nation.

Hundreds of members of hardline Islamist groups gathered outside the south Jakarta courtroom amid a heavy security presence, calling for governor Basuki &quot;Ahok&quot; Tjahaja Purnama to be given the maximum penalty possible over comments he made that they believe insulted the Islamic holy book, the Koran.

The government has been criticised for not doing enough to protect religious minorities but President Joko Widodo, a key ally of Purnama&#39;s, has urged restraint over the trial and called for all sides to respect the legal process.

Thousands of police have been deployed in the capital in case clashes break out between Purnama&#39;s supporters and opponents who have demanded he be sacked and jailed.

&quot;Both groups will have the opportunity to demonstrate, but we are taking steps to prevent clashes,&quot; said national police spokesman Setyo Wasisto.

Purnama lost his bid for re-election in an April run-off - after the most divisive and religiously charged election in recent years &ndash; to a Muslim rival, Anies Baswedan.

He will hand over to Baswedan in October.

Prosecutors have called for a suspended one-year jail sentence for Purnama on charges of hate speech. His opponents believe that is too light. The maximum sentence is four years in prison.

&quot;Ahok will be jailed because he insulted religion,&quot; read one of many anti-Purnama posts on the Facebook account of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), a conservative Islamic group instrumental in organising mass protests against Purnama as he sought re-election.

&quot;Balloons and flowers will be useless,&quot; the post added, referring to a recent outpouring of sympathy from supporters of the ethnic Chinese, Christian incumbent governor after he lost the April election.

His supporters delivered thousands of red and white balloons to City Hall ahead of Tuesday&#39;s court session.

Purnama has denied wrongdoing, though he apologised for comments he made last year criticising his opponents&#39; use of the Koran in political campaigning.

The tensions whipped up during the Jakarta election have raised concerns about the rising influence of Islamist groups in Indonesia, which is home to sizeable communities of Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and people who adhere to traditional beliefs.

The government said on Monday it would take legal steps to disband Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), a group that seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate, because its activities were creating social tensions and threatening security.

(Reuters)

The trial is widely seen as a test of religious tolerance in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation

An Indonesian court is expected to decide on Tuesday whether Jakarta’s Christian governor is guilty of blasphemy against Islam, in a trial that is widely seen as a test of religious tolerance in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation. Hundreds of members of hardline Islamist groups gathered outside the south Jakarta courtroom amid a heavy security presence, calling for governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama to be given the maximum penalty possible over comments he made that they believe insulted the Islamic holy book, the Koran. The government has been criticised for not doing enough to protect religious minorities but President Joko Widodo, a key ally of Purnama's, has urged restraint over the trial and called for all sides to respect the legal process. Thousands of police have been deployed in the capital in case clashes break out between Purnama's supporters and opponents who have demanded he be sacked and jailed. "Both groups will have the opportunity to demonstrate, but we are taking steps to prevent clashes," said national police spokesman Setyo Wasisto. Purnama lost his bid for re-election in an April run-off - after the most divisive and religiously charged election in recent years – to a Muslim rival, Anies Baswedan. He will hand over to Baswedan in October. Prosecutors have called for a suspended one-year jail sentence for Purnama on charges of hate speech. His opponents believe that is too light. The maximum sentence is four years in prison. "Ahok will be jailed because he insulted religion," read one of many anti-Purnama posts on the Facebook account of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), a conservative Islamic group instrumental in organising mass protests against Purnama as he sought re-election. "Balloons and flowers will be useless," the post added, referring to a recent outpouring of sympathy from supporters of the ethnic Chinese, Christian incumbent governor after he lost the April election. His supporters delivered thousands of red and white balloons to City Hall ahead of Tuesday's court session. Purnama has denied wrongdoing, though he apologised for comments he made last year criticising his opponents' use of the Koran in political campaigning. The tensions whipped up during the Jakarta election have raised concerns about the rising influence of Islamist groups in Indonesia, which is home to sizeable communities of Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and people who adhere to traditional beliefs. The government said on Monday it would take legal steps to disband Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), a group that seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate, because its activities were creating social tensions and threatening security. (Reuters)

Jakarta court to decide if Christian gov is guilty of blasphemy

US Vice President Mike Pence Thursday praised Indonesia&#39;s moderate form of Islam as &quot;an inspiration&quot; at the start of a visit to the Muslim-majority country seen as a bid by his administration to heal divisions with the Islamic world.

It came ahead of a visit by Pence to the largest mosque in Indonesia, which has the world&rsquo;s biggest Muslim population, where he will hold a multi-faith dialogue.

His visit represents the most high-profile outreach to Muslims by the Donald Trump administration since the brash billionaire came to office and echoes a similar trip by Barack and Michelle Obama in 2010.

Since becoming president almost 100 days ago, Trump has hosted leaders from majority-Muslim Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

But his administration has also tried to ban travellers from several Muslim-majority nations, citing concerns about terrorism -- an effort currently being challenged in US courts.&nbsp;

As a presidential candidate, Trump often appeared to flirt with the far right as he railed against &quot;radical Islamic terrorism&quot;.&nbsp;

Pence arrived at the presidential palace in Jakarta for talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo to a colourful official welcome by hundreds of schoolchildren in regional dress.

Indonesia, where most practice a moderate form of Islam, has long been held up as an example of a successful Muslim democracy where followers of the faith live largely peacefully alongside religious minorities.

After talks with Widodo, Pence said: &quot;Indonesia&#39;s tradition of moderate Islam is frankly an inspiration to the world and we commend you and your people.&nbsp;

&quot;In your nation as in mine, religion unifies, it doesn&rsquo;t divide.&quot;

&nbsp;

Tolerant Islam under threat

But his optimistic words came as Indonesia&#39;s traditionally inclusive Islam is under threat from the rising influence of hardliners and an increasing trend towards more conservative forms of the faith.

On Wednesday Jakarta&#39;s Christian governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama was defeated in a run-off election to lead the capital by a Muslim challenger who was accused of pandering to hardliners to win votes.

Purnama, known by his nickname Ahok, lost after his once-unassailable lead in opinion polls was dented by allegations he committed blasphemy, claims that sparked mass protests led by radical groups but were seen by his supporters as unfair and politically motivated.

Pence is currently on a tour of South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia that is aimed at smoothing some of the rougher edges of Trump&#39;s rhetoric.

In South Korea and Japan, Pence played down protectionist declarations of &quot;America first&quot; and reaffirmed US treaty commitments to the security of the two countries as tensions rise over Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear programme.

Pence&#39;s Muslim outreach in Indonesia has been welcomed locally, with Maruf Amin, the head of the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country&#39;s top Muslim clerical body, saying he hopes that it &quot;indicates a change in attitude&quot; towards Islam.

But it is unlikely to be enough to assuage fears that the Trump administration is anti-Islam.

&quot;President Trump&#39;s hostile pronouncements on Islam and Muslims have done considerable damage to his reputation in the Islamic world. It would take more than a visit to repair the damage,&quot; said Fawaz Gerges, an expert on the Middle East and Islam from the London School of Economics.

After his talks with Widodo, Pence also said that the US was committed to building a stronger defence partnership with Indonesia to combat the threat of terrorism.&nbsp;

Indonesia has long struggled with Islamic militancy, and in January last year suffered a suicide and gun attack claimed by the Islamic State group that left four assailants and four civilians dead.

He also pledged to uphold the &quot;fundamental freedom of navigation&quot; in the South China Sea. Indonesian and Chinese vessels have clashed repeatedly in recent times in waters near Indonesia&#39;s Natuna Islands, on the fringes of the disputed waters.&nbsp;

Widodo, who wants more foreign investment as he seeks to boost Southeast Asia&#39;s top economy, said the leaders had focused on &quot;the US commitment to enhance the strategic partnership with Indonesia, focusing on cooperation and investment&quot;.

(AFP)

Pence is currently on a tour of South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia to smooth some of the rougher edges of Trump's rhetoric

US Vice President Mike Pence Thursday praised Indonesia's moderate form of Islam as "an inspiration" at the start of a visit to the Muslim-majority country seen as a bid by his administration to heal divisions with the Islamic world. It came ahead of a visit by Pence to the largest mosque in Indonesia, which has the world’s biggest Muslim population, where he will hold a multi-faith dialogue. His visit represents the most high-profile outreach to Muslims by the Donald Trump administration since the brash billionaire came to office and echoes a similar trip by Barack and Michelle Obama in 2010. Since becoming president almost 100 days ago, Trump has hosted leaders from majority-Muslim Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. But his administration has also tried to ban travellers from several Muslim-majority nations, citing concerns about terrorism -- an effort currently being challenged in US courts. As a presidential candidate, Trump often appeared to flirt with the far right as he railed against "radical Islamic terrorism". Pence arrived at the presidential palace in Jakarta for talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo to a colourful official welcome by hundreds of schoolchildren in regional dress. Indonesia, where most practice a moderate form of Islam, has long been held up as an example of a successful Muslim democracy where followers of the faith live largely peacefully alongside religious minorities. After talks with Widodo, Pence said: "Indonesia's tradition of moderate Islam is frankly an inspiration to the world and we commend you and your people. "In your nation as in mine, religion unifies, it doesn’t divide." Tolerant Islam under threat But his optimistic words came as Indonesia's traditionally inclusive Islam is under threat from the rising influence of hardliners and an increasing trend towards more conservative forms of the faith. On Wednesday Jakarta's Christian governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama was defeated in a run-off election to lead the capital by a Muslim challenger who was accused of pandering to hardliners to win votes. Purnama, known by his nickname Ahok, lost after his once-unassailable lead in opinion polls was dented by allegations he committed blasphemy, claims that sparked mass protests led by radical groups but were seen by his supporters as unfair and politically motivated. Pence is currently on a tour of South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia that is aimed at smoothing some of the rougher edges of Trump's rhetoric. In South Korea and Japan, Pence played down protectionist declarations of "America first" and reaffirmed US treaty commitments to the security of the two countries as tensions rise over Pyongyang's nuclear programme. Pence's Muslim outreach in Indonesia has been welcomed locally, with Maruf Amin, the head of the Indonesian Ulema Council, the country's top Muslim clerical body, saying he hopes that it "indicates a change in attitude" towards Islam. But it is unlikely to be enough to assuage fears that the Trump administration is anti-Islam. "President Trump's hostile pronouncements on Islam and Muslims have done considerable damage to his reputation in the Islamic world. It would take more than a visit to repair the damage," said Fawaz Gerges, an expert on the Middle East and Islam from the London School of Economics. After his talks with Widodo, Pence also said that the US was committed to building a stronger defence partnership with Indonesia to combat the threat of terrorism. Indonesia has long struggled with Islamic militancy, and in January last year suffered a suicide and gun attack claimed by the Islamic State group that left four assailants and four civilians dead. He also pledged to uphold the "fundamental freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea. Indonesian and Chinese vessels have clashed repeatedly in recent times in waters near Indonesia's Natuna Islands, on the fringes of the disputed waters. Widodo, who wants more foreign investment as he seeks to boost Southeast Asia's top economy, said the leaders had focused on "the US commitment to enhance the strategic partnership with Indonesia, focusing on cooperation and investment". (AFP)

Pence praises 'moderate Islam' in Indonesia in bid to heal divisions

Three suspected militants were shot dead by Indonesian anti-terror officers during a raid Wednesday, authorities said, with police discovering a cache of bombs at the scene of the shootout.

The firefight erupted at a house about 25 kilometres (15 miles) outside the capital Jakarta.

Police said the alleged militants had opened fire at officers.

&quot;Suddenly somebody threw something (at officers) and it was a man-made bomb, but it didn`t explode and there were shots from inside,&quot; police spokesman Rikwanto, who goes by one name, told Metro TV.

&quot;Police responded ... and three people (inside the house in South Tangerang) were killed.&quot;

Rikwanto said police had not ruled out the possibility the explosives were planned to be detonated in attacks over the holiday period.

The police have not revealed how many bombs were found in the house. One alleged militant was arrested.

The incident came less than two weeks after police arrested four Islamic militants, including a female suicide bomber, and a bomb in Bekasi, east of Jakarta.

The group in South Tangerang is linked to the Bekasi group, Rikwanto said.

A sustained crackdown in Indonesia, the world`s most populous Muslim-majority country, weakened many of the most dangerous extremist networks responsible for a string of deadly homegrown attacks during the 2000s.

But there have been fears of a resurgence in militancy and police believe hundreds of Indonesians have travelled to Syria to fight with militant groups including IS.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

The police have not revealed how many bombs were found in the house. One alleged militant was arrested

Three suspected militants were shot dead by Indonesian anti-terror officers during a raid Wednesday, authorities said, with police discovering a cache of bombs at the scene of the shootout. The firefight erupted at a house about 25 kilometres (15 miles) outside the capital Jakarta. Police said the alleged militants had opened fire at officers. "Suddenly somebody threw something (at officers) and it was a man-made bomb, but it didn`t explode and there were shots from inside," police spokesman Rikwanto, who goes by one name, told Metro TV. "Police responded ... and three people (inside the house in South Tangerang) were killed." Rikwanto said police had not ruled out the possibility the explosives were planned to be detonated in attacks over the holiday period. The police have not revealed how many bombs were found in the house. One alleged militant was arrested. The incident came less than two weeks after police arrested four Islamic militants, including a female suicide bomber, and a bomb in Bekasi, east of Jakarta. The group in South Tangerang is linked to the Bekasi group, Rikwanto said. A sustained crackdown in Indonesia, the world`s most populous Muslim-majority country, weakened many of the most dangerous extremist networks responsible for a string of deadly homegrown attacks during the 2000s. But there have been fears of a resurgence in militancy and police believe hundreds of Indonesians have travelled to Syria to fight with militant groups including IS. (AFP)

Three militants killed in Indonesia, bombs recovered

Two Australian tourists accused of stealing a bicycle have been forced to take a &quot;walk of shame&quot; through an Indonesian island with signs round their necks, an official said Tuesday.

&quot;I am thieve (sic). Don&#39;t do what I did,&quot; the signs read.

The tourists, whose identities were not revealed, allegedly stole the bicycle about 10 days ago on Gili Trawangan, a popular tourist destination in central Indonesia. &nbsp;

CCTV recordings showed the two Australians taking a bike from the hotel, said village chief Muhamad Taufik.

The hotel manager reported the case to the authorities who caught the pair the following day, Taufik added.

&quot;We interrogated them, made an agreement, paraded them around the island and forced them to leave Gili,&quot; Taufik told AFP.

The two were the first foreigners this year to undergo a &quot;walk of shame&quot; on the island. A few Indonesians have been forced to take part this year in similar parades for theft.

National laws are in force on the island but it is unclear whether the Australians underwent a formal police investigation.

&quot;The walk of shame parade is a regulation in our village. I don&#39;t know whether the police are charging them now, what matters to me is that they&#39;re now gone,&quot; Taufik said.

Such parades have taken place for years on Gili Trawangan, a tiny island off the coast of Lombok and just east of the major resort island of Bali.

(AFP)

CCTV footage showed two Australian tourists allegedly stealing the bicycle from a hotel in Indonesia.

Two Australian tourists accused of stealing a bicycle have been forced to take a "walk of shame" through an Indonesian island with signs round their necks, an official said Tuesday. "I am thieve (sic). Don't do what I did," the signs read. The tourists, whose identities were not revealed, allegedly stole the bicycle about 10 days ago on Gili Trawangan, a popular tourist destination in central Indonesia. CCTV recordings showed the two Australians taking a bike from the hotel, said village chief Muhamad Taufik. The hotel manager reported the case to the authorities who caught the pair the following day, Taufik added. "We interrogated them, made an agreement, paraded them around the island and forced them to leave Gili," Taufik told AFP. The two were the first foreigners this year to undergo a "walk of shame" on the island. A few Indonesians have been forced to take part this year in similar parades for theft. National laws are in force on the island but it is unclear whether the Australians underwent a formal police investigation. "The walk of shame parade is a regulation in our village. I don't know whether the police are charging them now, what matters to me is that they're now gone," Taufik said. Such parades have taken place for years on Gili Trawangan, a tiny island off the coast of Lombok and just east of the major resort island of Bali. (AFP)

Tourists Paraded In 'Walk Of Shame' Over Bicycle Theft In Indonesia

An attack on an Indonesian church killed a toddler on Monday, police said, the latest assault on a religious minority in the Muslim-majority country, news agency AFP reported.

An attacker wearing a t-shirt with the word &quot;jihad&quot; on it threw explosives at the church on Borneo island on Sunday.

The Molotov cocktail thrown by the man on the motorbike injured four small children including the two-year-old Intan Olivia Marbun.

The youngsters, aged between two and four, had been playing in the car park of the church in the city of Samarinda at the time of the attack, reported AFP.

&quot;Unfortunately the doctors could not save the victim. She died early this morning,&quot; local police spokesman Fajar Setiawan told AFP. The two-year-old had suffered severe burn injuries.

The spokesman added that the other children were being treated in hospital. &quot;We hope they can come home soon,&quot; said Setiawan.

The 32-year-old suspected attacker has been arrested. He is a former terror convict from the West Java town of Bogor who was sentenced to three and a half years in prison over a 2011 terror attack and was released in July 2014, Press trust of India reported.

A &nbsp;teenager obsessed with the Islamic State stabbed a priest in a church in August. He also tried to detonate a homemade bomb. Four civilians and four attackers were killed in a suicide bombing and gun attack in Jakarta in January.

Indonesia, the world&#39;s most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on militant networks since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, PTI said

(With inputs from agencies)

The attacker wearing a t-shirt with the word 'jihad' threw explosives at the church on Borneo island, killing one child and wounding three

An attack on an Indonesian church killed a toddler on Monday, police said, the latest assault on a religious minority in the Muslim-majority country, news agency AFP reported. An attacker wearing a t-shirt with the word "jihad" on it threw explosives at the church on Borneo island on Sunday. The Molotov cocktail thrown by the man on the motorbike injured four small children including the two-year-old Intan Olivia Marbun. The youngsters, aged between two and four, had been playing in the car park of the church in the city of Samarinda at the time of the attack, reported AFP. "Unfortunately the doctors could not save the victim. She died early this morning," local police spokesman Fajar Setiawan told AFP. The two-year-old had suffered severe burn injuries. The spokesman added that the other children were being treated in hospital. "We hope they can come home soon," said Setiawan. The 32-year-old suspected attacker has been arrested. He is a former terror convict from the West Java town of Bogor who was sentenced to three and a half years in prison over a 2011 terror attack and was released in July 2014, Press trust of India reported. A teenager obsessed with the Islamic State stabbed a priest in a church in August. He also tried to detonate a homemade bomb. Four civilians and four attackers were killed in a suicide bombing and gun attack in Jakarta in January. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has carried out a sustained crackdown on militant networks since the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people, PTI said (With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia: 2-year-old killed in church attack, suspect arrested

A massive demonstration by tens of thousands of Indonesian Muslim protesters on Friday, against Jakarta&#39;s governor, turned violent as hardliners burned police cars and officers were injured in clashes.&nbsp;

The police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds in front of the Presidential Palace demanding the resignation of the Christian governor, who they claim had insulted the Koran, the holy book of Muslims.

The protesters accused Basuki Tjahja Purnama, a Christian and the first ethnic Chinese politician to hold the post of governor in the capital, of blasphemy. Purnama had said his opponents had deceived voters by attacking him using a verse from the Koran.&nbsp;

&quot;He is not Muslim but he humiliated the Koran,&quot; protester Muhammad Said told Reuters. &quot;Don&#39;t refer to anything in the Koran, especially interpreting it incorrectly ... I call on God to jail him.&quot;

The governor apologised for the remarks, but the group leading the protest, the Islamic Defenders Front, have called for Purnama to be jailed for blasphemy. The group promised that Friday&#39;s turnout would eclipse a similar rally last month that drew 10,000 people to the streets.&nbsp;

Some foreign embassies warned their citizens to remain cautious and steer clear of the demonstrations. There were smaller protests against the governor in other cities including Surabaya, Makassar and Medan.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The protesters called for Purnama to be jailed for allegedly insulting the Koran

A massive demonstration by tens of thousands of Indonesian Muslim protesters on Friday, against Jakarta's governor, turned violent as hardliners burned police cars and officers were injured in clashes. The police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds in front of the Presidential Palace demanding the resignation of the Christian governor, who they claim had insulted the Koran, the holy book of Muslims. The protesters accused Basuki Tjahja Purnama, a Christian and the first ethnic Chinese politician to hold the post of governor in the capital, of blasphemy. Purnama had said his opponents had deceived voters by attacking him using a verse from the Koran. "He is not Muslim but he humiliated the Koran," protester Muhammad Said told Reuters. "Don't refer to anything in the Koran, especially interpreting it incorrectly ... I call on God to jail him." The governor apologised for the remarks, but the group leading the protest, the Islamic Defenders Front, have called for Purnama to be jailed for blasphemy. The group promised that Friday's turnout would eclipse a similar rally last month that drew 10,000 people to the streets. Some foreign embassies warned their citizens to remain cautious and steer clear of the demonstrations. There were smaller protests against the governor in other cities including Surabaya, Makassar and Medan. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Indonesia: Muslims accuse Jakarta's governor of blasphemy as protests turn violent

Asserting that there can be &quot;no compromise&quot; when it comes to tackling sex crimes, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has defended the introduction of chemical castration for pedophiles in an interview published today.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Our constitution respects human rights, but when it comes to sexual crimes there is no compromise,&quot; he told BBC, adding that the government &quot;will hand out the maximum penalty&quot; for such crimes.

&nbsp;

A series of tough punishments for child sex offenders were introduced in May by Widodo through an emergency decree, including chemical castration and the death penalty, AFP reported. The decision followed an outcry over the fatal gang-rape of a schoolgirl.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Last week, the Parliament voted to put the new regulations permanently on the statute book.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;In my opinion... chemical castration, if we enforce it consistently, will reduce sex crimes and wipe them out over time,&quot; &nbsp;he has been quoted as saying in the interview.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It&#39;s pertinent to mention that chemical castration involves using drugs to reduce libido and sex drive.

&nbsp;

According to AFP, Indonesia is among a small group of places worldwide which use the measure, including Poland and some states in the USA. South Korea became the first Asian country to legalise the treatment in 2011.&nbsp;

 
(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Last week, the Parliament voted to put the new regulations permanently on the statute book

Asserting that there can be "no compromise" when it comes to tackling sex crimes, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has defended the introduction of chemical castration for pedophiles in an interview published today. "Our constitution respects human rights, but when it comes to sexual crimes there is no compromise," he told BBC, adding that the government "will hand out the maximum penalty" for such crimes. A series of tough punishments for child sex offenders were introduced in May by Widodo through an emergency decree, including chemical castration and the death penalty, AFP reported. The decision followed an outcry over the fatal gang-rape of a schoolgirl. Last week, the Parliament voted to put the new regulations permanently on the statute book. "In my opinion... chemical castration, if we enforce it consistently, will reduce sex crimes and wipe them out over time," he has been quoted as saying in the interview. It's pertinent to mention that chemical castration involves using drugs to reduce libido and sex drive. According to AFP, Indonesia is among a small group of places worldwide which use the measure, including Poland and some states in the USA. South Korea became the first Asian country to legalise the treatment in 2011. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Indonesia President defends 'chemical castration' of paedophiles

Balinese women dressed in gold bodices dance to rhythmic drumming while waving fans, as men in purple outfits sit cross-legged around them, jiggling their arms and chanting.

It appears to be just another show on the Indonesian resort island, known for its ancient culture and rituals, but there is a key difference:&nbsp;the dancers are all deaf and cannot hear the beat.&nbsp;

They perform the moves, learnt over months of hard training, from memory.

The village of Bengkala has been home to an unusually large number of deaf people for generations, and nowadays about 40 out of its approximately 3000 residents have severe hearing loss.&nbsp;

But unlike in other parts of Indonesia where they could face mistreatment, local people have taken the deaf residents to their hearts. In many ways, life in the small hamlet has come to revolve around them.&nbsp;

As well as the dance project, a unique sign language called Kata Kolok has been developed in the isolated village which has been mastered by those with hearing impairment, as well as many of those who can hear, prompting interest from scientists around the world. &nbsp;

In addition, deaf villagers are trained in skills such as making handicrafts that can be sold in the heaving tourist resorts of the island, and they work side by side with other villagers in the rice fields.&nbsp;

&quot;Human rights are the same everywhere. So I thought, why should the deaf be ostracised?&quot; said Ketut Kanta, who heads a community group for the village&#39;s deaf residents.

&nbsp;

Unique approach&nbsp;

The approach is relatively unique in Indonesia, where the disabled often suffer harsh discrimination.&nbsp;Bengkala, in northern Bali, has existed for about eight centuries.&nbsp;Residents often scrape a living tending to the surrounding rice fields and education levels are generally low.&nbsp;

In the past villagers thought the high incidence of deafness was due to a curse but those superstitions,&nbsp;and the prejudices they created,&nbsp;have largely been abandoned after experts concluded it was due to a recessive gene common among the local population.

&nbsp;

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It was not until the 1960s that the village began to make efforts to better integrate its deaf residents and nowadays everyone is treated equally, according to village head I Made Arpana.&nbsp;&quot;We don&#39;t differentiate between deaf villagers and non-deaf villagers,&quot; he said, adding that the community did not want the hard of hearing residents to feel &quot;inferior&quot;.

A key factor in creating this peaceful co-existence has been Kata Kolok, which literally translates as &quot;talk of the deaf&quot;, and is used to varying degrees by around 80 per cent of the villagers.&nbsp;

It is different to international and Indonesian sign language. It has grown organically over the decades and has its own unique signs created by villagers to reflect how they see the world.

&nbsp;

Bright future&nbsp;

Attempts to ensure harmony in the village start at a young age, with a Bengkala elementary school teaching all children side by side.&nbsp;The 77 students are all given lessons in the local sign language, and are introduced to elements of Indonesian and international signing.

Made Budiasih, whose seven-year-old son goes to the school, said she was worried for his future when they discovered he was deaf at birth, but said the inclusive educational centre had made all the difference.&nbsp;&quot;I was despairing, but then I found out about this school,&quot; she said.

Still, it is not always easy teaching deaf students as they often become frustrated and act out, according to teacher I Made Wisnu, who has been working at the school for a decade.&nbsp;There are no junior high schools equipped to teach deaf students, so most have to drop out of the system once they&#39;ve graduated from elementary classes.

Despite the challenges, village chief Arpana is determined to safeguard the unique culture of the hamlet&#39;s deaf community, saying he would be a &quot;sinner&quot; if he did not.

The clearest expression of the village&#39;s warm embrace of its hard of hearing population is the unique project &quot;dance of the deaf&quot;, which has started to draw a trickle of foreign visitors to the out-of-the-way village, giving residents hope for a brighter future.

Tambourine player I Wayan Getar, speaking in sign language through an interpreter, told AFP: &quot;Tourists from China and Europe are coming to watch us, and they really enjoy it.&quot;

(AFP)

For generations, many in Bengkala have been deaf. Currently 40 of 3000 villagers suffer hearing loss. But they're embraced, not marginalised

Balinese women dressed in gold bodices dance to rhythmic drumming while waving fans, as men in purple outfits sit cross-legged around them, jiggling their arms and chanting. It appears to be just another show on the Indonesian resort island, known for its ancient culture and rituals, but there is a key difference: the dancers are all deaf and cannot hear the beat. They perform the moves, learnt over months of hard training, from memory. The village of Bengkala has been home to an unusually large number of deaf people for generations, and nowadays about 40 out of its approximately 3000 residents have severe hearing loss. But unlike in other parts of Indonesia where they could face mistreatment, local people have taken the deaf residents to their hearts. In many ways, life in the small hamlet has come to revolve around them. As well as the dance project, a unique sign language called Kata Kolok has been developed in the isolated village which has been mastered by those with hearing impairment, as well as many of those who can hear, prompting interest from scientists around the world. In addition, deaf villagers are trained in skills such as making handicrafts that can be sold in the heaving tourist resorts of the island, and they work side by side with other villagers in the rice fields. "Human rights are the same everywhere. So I thought, why should the deaf be ostracised?" said Ketut Kanta, who heads a community group for the village's deaf residents. Unique approach The approach is relatively unique in Indonesia, where the disabled often suffer harsh discrimination. Bengkala, in northern Bali, has existed for about eight centuries. Residents often scrape a living tending to the surrounding rice fields and education levels are generally low. In the past villagers thought the high incidence of deafness was due to a curse but those superstitions, and the prejudices they created, have largely been abandoned after experts concluded it was due to a recessive gene common among the local population. But unlike in other parts of Indonesia where they could face mistreatment, local people have taken the deaf residents to their hearts. In many ways, life in the small hamlet has come to revolve around them. × It was not until the 1960s that the village began to make efforts to better integrate its deaf residents and nowadays everyone is treated equally, according to village head I Made Arpana. "We don't differentiate between deaf villagers and non-deaf villagers," he said, adding that the community did not want the hard of hearing residents to feel "inferior". A key factor in creating this peaceful co-existence has been Kata Kolok, which literally translates as "talk of the deaf", and is used to varying degrees by around 80 per cent of the villagers. It is different to international and Indonesian sign language. It has grown organically over the decades and has its own unique signs created by villagers to reflect how they see the world. Bright future Attempts to ensure harmony in the village start at a young age, with a Bengkala elementary school teaching all children side by side. The 77 students are all given lessons in the local sign language, and are introduced to elements of Indonesian and international signing. Made Budiasih, whose seven-year-old son goes to the school, said she was worried for his future when they discovered he was deaf at birth, but said the inclusive educational centre had made all the difference. "I was despairing, but then I found out about this school," she said. Still, it is not always easy teaching deaf students as they often become frustrated and act out, according to teacher I Made Wisnu, who has been working at the school for a decade. There are no junior high schools equipped to teach deaf students, so most have to drop out of the system once they've graduated from elementary classes. Despite the challenges, village chief Arpana is determined to safeguard the unique culture of the hamlet's deaf community, saying he would be a "sinner" if he did not. The clearest expression of the village's warm embrace of its hard of hearing population is the unique project "dance of the deaf", which has started to draw a trickle of foreign visitors to the out-of-the-way village, giving residents hope for a brighter future. Tambourine player I Wayan Getar, speaking in sign language through an interpreter, told AFP: "Tourists from China and Europe are coming to watch us, and they really enjoy it." (AFP)

In Bali's deaf village, silence is golden

Anniesa Hasibuan is the first Indonesian designer to showcase at the New York Fashion Week and the first one to be presenting an entire collection of hijab designs at the international platform. 
 
Her collection called D&rsquo;JAKARTA consisted of 48 looks: 38 ready-to-wear pieces and 10 evening gowns. The entire line-up has intricate details infused in the colours of rich gold, brown, peach and green shades with bespoke jewellery and shoes for the look. Anniesa received a standing ovation from the fashion world after the finale, which was a mix of contemporary designs and Indonesian flavour. 
 
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Models showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan&#39;s collection.
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With a keen interest in fashion, Anniesa started working on it a year ago. Her work inspired by her home-country started gaining recognition from peers in the industry and the Indonesian government. Her collection is a step towards representing Muslim women in high fashion. Models walking the runway in embellished modest high fashion is a statement in itself. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/style4-20160922115034.jpg" />
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Model showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan&#39;s collection.
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She now wants to introduce Indonesia&rsquo;s name to the fashion world and make people aware of its diversity and culture.

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<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/pinknew-20160923082301.png" />

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Model showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan&#39;s collection.
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New York Fashion Week 2016, like every year, offered a unique collection to the fashion lovers around the world, decoding new fashion trends for the season. 
 
(Contributed by&nbsp;Zeba Khan)

South Asian designs getting recognition on the world's fashion map

Anniesa Hasibuan is the first Indonesian designer to showcase at the New York Fashion Week and the first one to be presenting an entire collection of hijab designs at the international platform. Her collection called D’JAKARTA consisted of 48 looks: 38 ready-to-wear pieces and 10 evening gowns. The entire line-up has intricate details infused in the colours of rich gold, brown, peach and green shades with bespoke jewellery and shoes for the look. Anniesa received a standing ovation from the fashion world after the finale, which was a mix of contemporary designs and Indonesian flavour. Models showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan's collection. With a keen interest in fashion, Anniesa started working on it a year ago. Her work inspired by her home-country started gaining recognition from peers in the industry and the Indonesian government. Her collection is a step towards representing Muslim women in high fashion. Models walking the runway in embellished modest high fashion is a statement in itself. Model showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan's collection. She now wants to introduce Indonesia’s name to the fashion world and make people aware of its diversity and culture. Model showcasing Anniesa Hasibuan's collection. New York Fashion Week 2016, like every year, offered a unique collection to the fashion lovers around the world, decoding new fashion trends for the season. (Contributed by Zeba Khan)

#BeTheChange: The woman who made hijab fashionable

Sri Lanka&#39;s Election Commission has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the General Elections Commission (KPU) of Indonesia on cooperation in the management of elections, according to local media reports&nbsp; 
 
The signing&nbsp;ceremony was held on Wednesday during the Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum III in Bali, a report in The Jakarta Post said.&nbsp; 
 
According to the Jakarta Post, KPU chairman Juri Ardiantoro and Sri Lankan Election Commission chairman Mahinda Deshapriya signed&nbsp;the MoU &quot;to promote democratic values through cooperation in information exchange and other issues in the field of electoral management.&quot;

The Jakarta Post quoted Juri saying that&nbsp;the MoU was the first step in electoral cooperation between both countries and&nbsp;Indonesia hopes this kind of coordination will strengthen democracy in the two Asian countries.

&ldquo;We hope this agreement will be followed up with real action, in ways that will be determined later after the signing of the MoU,&rdquo; Juri said.

Meanwhile, Mahinda hopes that with the MoU which is valid for five years, Sri Lanka will benefit from Indonesia&rsquo;s experience in successfully implementing democracy.&nbsp; 
 
(WION)

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is valid for five years and will focus on promoting 'democratic values' in the two countries

Sri Lanka's Election Commission has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the General Elections Commission (KPU) of Indonesia on cooperation in the management of elections, according to local media reports The signing ceremony was held on Wednesday during the Asian Electoral Stakeholder Forum III in Bali, a report in The Jakarta Post said. According to the Jakarta Post, KPU chairman Juri Ardiantoro and Sri Lankan Election Commission chairman Mahinda Deshapriya signed the MoU "to promote democratic values through cooperation in information exchange and other issues in the field of electoral management." The Jakarta Post quoted Juri saying that the MoU was the first step in electoral cooperation between both countries and Indonesia hopes this kind of coordination will strengthen democracy in the two Asian countries. “We hope this agreement will be followed up with real action, in ways that will be determined later after the signing of the MoU,” Juri said. Meanwhile, Mahinda hopes that with the MoU which is valid for five years, Sri Lanka will benefit from Indonesia’s experience in successfully implementing democracy. (WION)

Sri Lanka, Indonesia sign MoU on election management: Reports

Asian fans of smartphone game Pokemon Go are hunting out the best telecom providers&nbsp;and network gear to overcome the hurdle posed by patchy network signals in their race to capture virtual&nbsp;cartoon characters. 
 
From Indonesia to Hong Kong and Cambodia, the wild popularity of Nintendo&#39;s augmented reality app is also&nbsp;driving lifestyle changes for many gamers, who must trudge through real-life locations in their quest.&nbsp;The game launched in many Southeast Asian countries on August&nbsp;5, a month after the United States, New&nbsp;Zealand and Australia, but enthusiasts are finding they must first vanquish shaky transmission signals. 
 
In Indonesia, Muchamad Syaifudin, a 29-year-old bank employee, said he switched to a mobile carrier&nbsp;offering better data packages, while his friends snapped up modems, at a cost of $20 each, to lock on to&nbsp;the signals.&nbsp;&quot;We can bring the modems to play, especially at places where a signal is hard to find,&quot; Syaifudin told&nbsp;Reuters by telephone. 
 
He and his friends living in Central Java, a province famed for its idyllic paddy fields and mountains,&nbsp;used to spend leisure time playing strategy games at home.&nbsp;But now, armed with the new devices, they increasingly venture out to catch the Pokemons that appear at&nbsp;temples and other landmarks where people gather. 
 
In Hong Kong, commuters are hopping on the trams known as &quot;ding dings&quot; in their forays, while in countries&nbsp;such as Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, the USA State Department has sent tweets warning players to beware of&nbsp;unexploded wartime mines.&nbsp;The game officially launched just two weeks ago in Indonesia, but tens of thousands of enthusiastic&nbsp;adopters among a population of 250 million had started playing earlier, using proxy sites to access app&nbsp;stores elsewhere. 
 
Gamers are fuelling a boom for modem makers, such as PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk, whose nationwide sales of&nbsp;4G modems, priced around 300,000 Indonesian&nbsp;Rupiahs ($23) each, have jumped fivefold in just two months.&nbsp;The firm has launched new devices with bigger battery capacity, Derrick Surya, Smartfren&#39;s vice president&nbsp;for brand and marketing communication, told Reuters. 
 
Retailers also benefit as more gamers seek devices to power up mobile connections and minimise the expense&nbsp;of data packages.&nbsp;&quot;More and more customers are looking for alternative sources of additional mobile network capacity,&quot; said&nbsp;Billy Cahya, a salesman at an electronics shop in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. 
 
Also surging, however, is the demand for game innovations, ranging from new characters to a higher maximum&nbsp;level players can reach, said Syaifudin.&nbsp;&quot;Looking for Pokemons, looking for items, battling at gyms. We have done that again and again,&quot; he said,&nbsp;referring to game sites where players stage contests between virtual characters.&nbsp;&quot;It probably needs a new concept to retain our interest,&quot; he added. 
 
Other players complain rural areas have few Pokestops, or stockpile sites to secure equipment needed to&nbsp;catch Pokemons.&nbsp;&quot;We have fewer Pokestops in Legazpi City compared to metropolitan areas,&quot; said Rey Anthony Ostria, a&nbsp;player in the Philippine city about 340 kilometres&nbsp;(211 miles) from Manila, the capital. &quot;In towns that I have&nbsp;visited, there&#39;s almost none.&quot;

(Reuters)

The reality app is making gamers trudge through real-life locations in their quest to capture the virtual cartoon characters

Asian fans of smartphone game Pokemon Go are hunting out the best telecom providers and network gear to overcome the hurdle posed by patchy network signals in their race to capture virtual cartoon characters. From Indonesia to Hong Kong and Cambodia, the wild popularity of Nintendo's augmented reality app is also driving lifestyle changes for many gamers, who must trudge through real-life locations in their quest. The game launched in many Southeast Asian countries on August 5, a month after the United States, New Zealand and Australia, but enthusiasts are finding they must first vanquish shaky transmission signals. In Indonesia, Muchamad Syaifudin, a 29-year-old bank employee, said he switched to a mobile carrier offering better data packages, while his friends snapped up modems, at a cost of $20 each, to lock on to the signals. "We can bring the modems to play, especially at places where a signal is hard to find," Syaifudin told Reuters by telephone. He and his friends living in Central Java, a province famed for its idyllic paddy fields and mountains, used to spend leisure time playing strategy games at home. But now, armed with the new devices, they increasingly venture out to catch the Pokemons that appear at temples and other landmarks where people gather. In Hong Kong, commuters are hopping on the trams known as "ding dings" in their forays, while in countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, the USA State Department has sent tweets warning players to beware of unexploded wartime mines. The game officially launched just two weeks ago in Indonesia, but tens of thousands of enthusiastic adopters among a population of 250 million had started playing earlier, using proxy sites to access app stores elsewhere. Gamers are fuelling a boom for modem makers, such as PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk, whose nationwide sales of 4G modems, priced around 300,000 Indonesian Rupiahs ($23) each, have jumped fivefold in just two months. The firm has launched new devices with bigger battery capacity, Derrick Surya, Smartfren's vice president for brand and marketing communication, told Reuters. Retailers also benefit as more gamers seek devices to power up mobile connections and minimise the expense of data packages. "More and more customers are looking for alternative sources of additional mobile network capacity," said Billy Cahya, a salesman at an electronics shop in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Also surging, however, is the demand for game innovations, ranging from new characters to a higher maximum level players can reach, said Syaifudin. "Looking for Pokemons, looking for items, battling at gyms. We have done that again and again," he said, referring to game sites where players stage contests between virtual characters. "It probably needs a new concept to retain our interest," he added. Other players complain rural areas have few Pokestops, or stockpile sites to secure equipment needed to catch Pokemons. "We have fewer Pokestops in Legazpi City compared to metropolitan areas," said Rey Anthony Ostria, a player in the Philippine city about 340 kilometres (211 miles) from Manila, the capital. "In towns that I have visited, there's almost none." (Reuters)

Pokemon Go spurs lifestyle changes, business boom as it rolls out in Asia

Cradling the centuries-old remains of his mummified ancestor, tribe leader Eli Mabel lays bare an ancient tradition that has all but vanished among the Dani people in the Papuan central highlands. 
 
The tiny, blackened, shrunken figure he carries was Agat Mamete Mabel, the chieftain that ruled over this remote village in Indonesian Papua some 250 years ago.&nbsp;Honoured upon death with a custom reserved only for important elders and local heroes among the Dani people, he was embalmed and preserved with smoke and animal oil. 
 
Nine generations on and his descendant Eli Mabel is the current chieftain in Wogi village, an isolated hamlet outside Wamena that can be reached only by hiking and canoe. 
 
He said the exact age of Agat Mamete Mabel was not known, but told AFP this ancestor was the last of the village to receive such a funeral. Once common among his forebears, the ritual method of smoke embalming was no longer practised, he explained.&nbsp;Christian missionaries and Muslim preachers encouraged the tribespeople to bury the corpses, and the tradition has faded as the centuries drifted by. 
 
But Mabel is determined to retain the ancient rites and rituals for future generations.&nbsp;&quot;We must protect our culture, including the ceremonies for the mummy, the way we treat it, and maintain and fire for it,&quot; the Dani tribesman told AFP. 
 
The mummy, decorated with pig tusks slung around the torso, a feathered headpiece, and traditional penis gourd rests in a hut known as a &quot;honai&quot;.&nbsp;This wide domed, thatch-roofed hut is tended year round by a select few villagers who keep a fire burning to ensure the corpse remains dry and preserved. 
 
The duty of caring for the mummy often falls to Mabel, he said. He spends many nights sleeping alone in the honai, ensuring no harm befalls his ancestor.&nbsp;Eventually, the duty of caring for the mummy will be passed to others, he said. Mabel hopes his own children will bear some responsibility for keeping their customs alive, but worries they are far away. 
 
&quot;I have told them they must take care of the mummy at some point in their lives,&quot; Mabel said of his four children, some living in far-off provinces in Indonesia&#39;s more populated centres. 
 
The ancient Dani tribes in Indonesia&#39;s half of the island of New Guinea were cut off from the outside world until well into the 20th century. Their homeland in the Baliem Valley was isolated by steep, rugged valleys and dense highland forest.&nbsp;Today, the region remains one of the poorest in Indonesia. Many tribes rely on tourism, their unique customs, traditional dress and rituals attracting visitors to their remote villages. 
 
(AFP)

The mummy, decorated with pig tusks slung around the torso, a feathered headpiece and traditional penis gourd, rests in a hut

Cradling the centuries-old remains of his mummified ancestor, tribe leader Eli Mabel lays bare an ancient tradition that has all but vanished among the Dani people in the Papuan central highlands. The tiny, blackened, shrunken figure he carries was Agat Mamete Mabel, the chieftain that ruled over this remote village in Indonesian Papua some 250 years ago. Honoured upon death with a custom reserved only for important elders and local heroes among the Dani people, he was embalmed and preserved with smoke and animal oil. Nine generations on and his descendant Eli Mabel is the current chieftain in Wogi village, an isolated hamlet outside Wamena that can be reached only by hiking and canoe. He said the exact age of Agat Mamete Mabel was not known, but told AFP this ancestor was the last of the village to receive such a funeral. Once common among his forebears, the ritual method of smoke embalming was no longer practised, he explained. Christian missionaries and Muslim preachers encouraged the tribespeople to bury the corpses, and the tradition has faded as the centuries drifted by. But Mabel is determined to retain the ancient rites and rituals for future generations. "We must protect our culture, including the ceremonies for the mummy, the way we treat it, and maintain and fire for it," the Dani tribesman told AFP. The mummy, decorated with pig tusks slung around the torso, a feathered headpiece, and traditional penis gourd rests in a hut known as a "honai". This wide domed, thatch-roofed hut is tended year round by a select few villagers who keep a fire burning to ensure the corpse remains dry and preserved. The duty of caring for the mummy often falls to Mabel, he said. He spends many nights sleeping alone in the honai, ensuring no harm befalls his ancestor. Eventually, the duty of caring for the mummy will be passed to others, he said. Mabel hopes his own children will bear some responsibility for keeping their customs alive, but worries they are far away. "I have told them they must take care of the mummy at some point in their lives," Mabel said of his four children, some living in far-off provinces in Indonesia's more populated centres. The ancient Dani tribes in Indonesia's half of the island of New Guinea were cut off from the outside world until well into the 20th century. Their homeland in the Baliem Valley was isolated by steep, rugged valleys and dense highland forest. Today, the region remains one of the poorest in Indonesia. Many tribes rely on tourism, their unique customs, traditional dress and rituals attracting visitors to their remote villages. (AFP)

Indonesia: Papuan tribe preserves ancient rite of mummification

An Indonesian city has hit on an original idea to rid its popular beaches of crocodiles: it will offer cash prizes to people who catch the man-eating reptiles, an official said today. 
 
The population of dangerous saltwater crocodiles around two beaches near Kupang in eastern Indonesia has been increasing in recent years and there have been reports of tourists being attacked. 
 
Authorities now plan to launch a competition offering cash prizes of five million rupiah ($380) to animal experts for each of the reptiles caught alive, said local tourism chief Marius Ardu Jelamu. 
 
&quot;We have warned visitors to be careful when visiting the beaches but it&#39;s not enough, we must do something,&quot; Jelamu told AFP. 
 
&quot;Some of these animals are three to four metres (10 to 13 feet) long, this is very scary.&quot; 
 
Jelamu said the scheme was aimed at only people experienced in dealing with crocodiles, not the general public, and the animals would likely be caught using tranquilliser guns and ropes. 
 
After being captured, the crocodiles, which are a protected species under Indonesian law so cannot be killed, would be released back into the wild far from the beaches.&nbsp;Participants will compete in teams and the scheme is set to begin in the near future, said Jelamu. 
 
However the local wildlife agency expressed concerns that the contest could be dangerous for participants, with agency chief Maman Surahman saying that crocodiles were &quot;scary creatures&quot; for humans. 
 
Saltwater crocodiles are the largest crocodile species reaching up to seven metres in length, and are known as formidable predators. 
 
The huge Indonesian archipelago is home to a vast array of exotic wildlife, including several species of crocodile. 
 
Crocodiles in Indonesia regularly attack and kill humans. In April a Russian tourist was mauled to death by a crocodile in the Raja Ampat islands, a popular diving site in the east of the archipelago. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Authorities plan to launch competition for crocodile catchers, but local wildlife agency is concerned the contest could be dangerous

An Indonesian city has hit on an original idea to rid its popular beaches of crocodiles: it will offer cash prizes to people who catch the man-eating reptiles, an official said today. The population of dangerous saltwater crocodiles around two beaches near Kupang in eastern Indonesia has been increasing in recent years and there have been reports of tourists being attacked. Authorities now plan to launch a competition offering cash prizes of five million rupiah ($380) to animal experts for each of the reptiles caught alive, said local tourism chief Marius Ardu Jelamu. "We have warned visitors to be careful when visiting the beaches but it's not enough, we must do something," Jelamu told AFP. "Some of these animals are three to four metres (10 to 13 feet) long, this is very scary." Jelamu said the scheme was aimed at only people experienced in dealing with crocodiles, not the general public, and the animals would likely be caught using tranquilliser guns and ropes. After being captured, the crocodiles, which are a protected species under Indonesian law so cannot be killed, would be released back into the wild far from the beaches. Participants will compete in teams and the scheme is set to begin in the near future, said Jelamu. However the local wildlife agency expressed concerns that the contest could be dangerous for participants, with agency chief Maman Surahman saying that crocodiles were "scary creatures" for humans. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest crocodile species reaching up to seven metres in length, and are known as formidable predators. The huge Indonesian archipelago is home to a vast array of exotic wildlife, including several species of crocodile. Crocodiles in Indonesia regularly attack and kill humans. In April a Russian tourist was mauled to death by a crocodile in the Raja Ampat islands, a popular diving site in the east of the archipelago. (AFP)

'Crocodile catchers' at Indonesian beach to soon snap up cash

Indonesia&#39;s Attorney General said the execution of at least 10 convicts on Friday (July 29) will be suspended pending further reviews. 
 
Four drug traffickers, three Nigerians and one Indonesian, were executed by firing squad during a thunderstorm shortly after midnight earlier today at the prison Island of Nusakambangan. 
 
Initially Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said 14 convicted drug traffickers, including citizens of India, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe, would be executed. 
 
&quot;After we&#39;ve done the assessment we decided that four people needed to be executed in the early hours today, while the ten other people will be decided later. This suspension was decided through comprehensive assessment and careful thought to avoid any possible mistakes from the judicial aspect and non-judicial aspect.&quot; said Prasetyo during a news conference in Jakarta. 
 
Gurdip Singh of India was among the 10 convicts that were facing execution in a&nbsp;drug peddling case. Singh was found guilty by an Indonesian court and handed death penalty in 2005. 
 
The date for the next round of executions has not been set, Prasetyo said. 
 
The government ignored international calls for clemency and pushed ahead with its plans. 
 
&quot;I have not heard of any diplomatic pressures but only appeals, and I don&#39;t feel like I was pressured. We must enforce and respect the rule of law in our country, surely it&#39;s our dignity,&quot; said Prasetyo. 
 
At least two prisoners among that group of 10, a Pakistani national and an Indonesian woman, have applied for presidential clemency, their representatives said. They said legal proceedings could take a long time. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Indonesia's Attorney General says the execution of 10 drug convicts is suspended due to judicial and non-judicial review

Indonesia's Attorney General said the execution of at least 10 convicts on Friday (July 29) will be suspended pending further reviews. Four drug traffickers, three Nigerians and one Indonesian, were executed by firing squad during a thunderstorm shortly after midnight earlier today at the prison Island of Nusakambangan. Initially Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo said 14 convicted drug traffickers, including citizens of India, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe, would be executed. "After we've done the assessment we decided that four people needed to be executed in the early hours today, while the ten other people will be decided later. This suspension was decided through comprehensive assessment and careful thought to avoid any possible mistakes from the judicial aspect and non-judicial aspect." said Prasetyo during a news conference in Jakarta. Gurdip Singh of India was among the 10 convicts that were facing execution in a drug peddling case. Singh was found guilty by an Indonesian court and handed death penalty in 2005. The date for the next round of executions has not been set, Prasetyo said. The government ignored international calls for clemency and pushed ahead with its plans. "I have not heard of any diplomatic pressures but only appeals, and I don't feel like I was pressured. We must enforce and respect the rule of law in our country, surely it's our dignity," said Prasetyo. At least two prisoners among that group of 10, a Pakistani national and an Indonesian woman, have applied for presidential clemency, their representatives said. They said legal proceedings could take a long time. (Reuters)

Relief for Indian national as Indonesia suspends execution of 10 convicts

India on Thursday said it is making all efforts to save one of its nationals facing death sentence in Indonesia. 
 
Fourteen drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, are set to be executed in Indonesia today. 
 
Gurdip Singh of India was arrested 14 years ago in a drug peddling case. Singh was found guilty by an Indonesian court and handed death penalty in 2005. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Indian Ambassador in Indonesia has informed me that Gurdip Singh whose execution was fixed for last night, has not been executed.
&mdash; Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj/status/758875253451829249">July 29, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
Spokesperson of India&#39;s foreign ministry, Vikas Swarup, said the government was trying to reach out to Indonesian authorities in the matter. 
 
&quot;Even as we speak, our embassy officials, consular officials are camping in Cilacap and have met Shri Gurdip Singh. We have reached out to the foreign office. We are trying to reach out to the senior leadership of Indonesia. We are also in constant touch with his wife and brother in India and keeping them informed of the current situation,&quot; said Swarup in New Delhi. 
 
Swarup added Singh&#39;s legal representative has advised him to file for presidential clemency under the relevant law. 
 
&quot;Gurdip Singh is facing death sentence in a drug case in Indonesia. We are making last minute efforts to save him from execution on July 28,&quot; tweeted India&#39;s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday (July 27). 
 
Singh&#39;s family in northern Jalandhar city of Punjab also sought his release. 
 
&quot;He has spent so many years in jail. I now appeal to send him back. He has not even seen (some of his) his children till date,&quot; said Singh&#39;s wife, Kulwinder Kaur. 
 
News of the impending executions prompted condemnation from the United Nations and the European Union. 
 
Indonesia, which is among Southeast Asia&#39;s biggest markets for narcotics, has declared a &quot;drug emergency&quot; and vowed no mercy for drug traffickers. 
 
It provoked international outrage in April last year with the execution of eight drug traffickers, seven among them foreigners, following the 2013 end of a five-year temporary halt in the practice. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

India said it is making all efforts to reach out to Indonesia to save its national, Gurdip Singh, facing death sentence for drug trafficking

India on Thursday said it is making all efforts to save one of its nationals facing death sentence in Indonesia. Fourteen drug convicts, including nationals of Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, are set to be executed in Indonesia today. Gurdip Singh of India was arrested 14 years ago in a drug peddling case. Singh was found guilty by an Indonesian court and handed death penalty in 2005. Indian Ambassador in Indonesia has informed me that Gurdip Singh whose execution was fixed for last night, has not been executed. — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 29, 2016 Spokesperson of India's foreign ministry, Vikas Swarup, said the government was trying to reach out to Indonesian authorities in the matter. "Even as we speak, our embassy officials, consular officials are camping in Cilacap and have met Shri Gurdip Singh. We have reached out to the foreign office. We are trying to reach out to the senior leadership of Indonesia. We are also in constant touch with his wife and brother in India and keeping them informed of the current situation," said Swarup in New Delhi. Swarup added Singh's legal representative has advised him to file for presidential clemency under the relevant law. "Gurdip Singh is facing death sentence in a drug case in Indonesia. We are making last minute efforts to save him from execution on July 28," tweeted India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday (July 27). Singh's family in northern Jalandhar city of Punjab also sought his release. "He has spent so many years in jail. I now appeal to send him back. He has not even seen (some of his) his children till date," said Singh's wife, Kulwinder Kaur. News of the impending executions prompted condemnation from the United Nations and the European Union. Indonesia, which is among Southeast Asia's biggest markets for narcotics, has declared a "drug emergency" and vowed no mercy for drug traffickers. It provoked international outrage in April last year with the execution of eight drug traffickers, seven among them foreigners, following the 2013 end of a five-year temporary halt in the practice. (Reuters)

Indonesia executions: India intervenes, Gurdip Singh hanging suspended until further review

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