Indonesian protesters demand action as air pollution chokes Jakarta

Members of civil society coalition IBUKOTA take part in a joint protest against air pollution in front of the Jakarta City Hall in Jakarta, Indonesia on Aug. 16, 2023. (AFP)
Members of civil society coalition IBUKOTA take part in a joint protest against air pollution in front of the Jakarta City Hall in Jakarta, Indonesia on Aug. 16, 2023. (AFP)
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Updated 16 August 2023
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Indonesian protesters demand action as air pollution chokes Jakarta

Members of civil society coalition IBUKOTA take part in a joint protest against air pollution in front of the Jakarta City Hall.
  • Jakarta has been recording ‘unhealthy’ levels of dangerous airborne particles
  • Experts warn of long-term effects of poor air quality on health

JAKARTA: Dozens of activists in Jakarta held a protest on Wednesday over worsening air pollution, as residents and experts linked health problems to poor air quality that has made the Indonesian capital one of the world’s most polluted cities. 

Jakarta has consistently ranked among the 10 most polluted cities globally and regularly recorded “unhealthy” levels of PM2.5, a measurement of particulate matter — solid and liquid particles suspended in the air that can be inhaled and cause respiratory diseases. 

Public discussion of the issue picked up pace in recent weeks after Jakarta topped Swiss company IQAir’s ranking of air pollution in major cities for several days and residents began attributing various health problems to the poor air quality.

“This situation is at a precarious stage because air pollution has caused people to be infected with various diseases,” Ibukota, the civil society coalition that organized Wednesday’s protest in front of the Jakarta city hall, said in a statement. 

Asmara Wreksono, a 44-year-old visual artist in Jakarta, recently took her 10-year-old daughter to an ear, nose and throat specialist after she was sick for more than two weeks with a runny nose and coughs. 

“The diagnosis is bacterial infection in the throat, most likely caused by the pollution,” Wreksono told Arab News. “We were advised to mask up and limit outdoor activities, as well as to turn up our air purifier at home.” 

Wreksono, who was born and raised in Jakarta, said there has been a “significant change” in air quality over the years. When she took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to talk about her daughter’s health issues, she did not expect scores of others to share similar stories. 

“(But) I wasn’t surprised that a lot of people experienced the same thing because the ENT specialist told me that the number of patients with the same complaint increased these past two months,” she said. 

Pulmonologist Erlina Burhan said that her practice has been receiving more patients with similar respiratory issues.

“Many patients are complaining of sneezes, runny nose and coughs, which I found out later was actually bronchitis, so there has indeed been an increase in respiratory infections,” Burhan told Arab News. 

“Many of my asthma patients who seldom come to see me have been coming for appointments recently, and I suspect that this was triggered by unclean air,” she added. 

On Monday, President Joko Widodo held a cabinet meeting to address the pollution issue, and instructed ministers to establish more green spaces and encourage offices to implement hybrid working, among other strategies to tackle the problem. 

Like other Jakarta residents, Widodo has reportedly been nursing a cough for weeks. 

Piotr Jakubowski, co-founder of Indonesian air quality data app Nafas, told Arab News: “Air pollution has been an issue in Jakarta for a long time; this is not the first year that this is a problem. It’s one of the first years in many where enough of the general public care about it in order to voice their opinions in a way that catches the attention of the government.”

Jakubowski said that poor air quality is also a problem for other Indonesian cities, and highlighted the importance of a collective approach to understand the sources of pollution affecting major urban areas. 

“It’s an issue for everybody — young, old, rich, poor — and it’s something that needs to be solved with an action plan as soon as possible,” he said. 

Ivan Jayawan, an environmental expert and adjunct faculty at the Krida Wacana Christian University in Jakarta, said that when it comes to air pollution, the public bears a “massive cost.” 

“Air pollution is not to be taken lightly; the long-term effect is serious, too. Many studies have shown that air pollution is connected to other diseases people thought had nothing to do with air pollution exposure, such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, dementia, liver diseases, etc,” he said.

Vulnerable members of the public, such as the elderly, children and pregnant women, are likely most affected by the problem, he added. 

In 2021, a court ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by activists and citizens against the government, ordering Widodo to clean up the city’s notorious air pollution, and ruling that he and other top officials were negligent in protecting residents. 

However, efforts to address the problem are still less than optimal, according to Suci Fitria Tanjung, executive director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, in Jakarta. 

“Today’s protest is one of many public efforts to remind and straighten up the government’s work so that it follows the mandate of protecting the people’s public health and fulfilling our civil rights to a healthy and clean environment,” Tanjung, who is also part of the Ibukota coalition, said. 

Jakarta residents such as Wreksono worry about how pollution is affecting quality of life in the capital, which is notorious for its traffic congestion and overly dense neighborhoods, and hope officials will take extra measures to change policies. 

“I just need the government to do its job right,” she said. “We are taxpayers, and we demand them to do so.” 


China’s actions in South China Sea undermine regional stability — US State Dept

China’s actions in South China Sea undermine regional stability — US State Dept
Updated 20 sec ago
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China’s actions in South China Sea undermine regional stability — US State Dept

China’s actions in South China Sea undermine regional stability — US State Dept
  • “We remain undeterred,” Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says in a post on X

MANILA: The United States has called out China for interfering in the Philippines’ maritime operations and undermining regional stability, urging Beijing to stop “its dangerous and destabilizing conduct” in the South China Sea.
The Philippines and China have traded accusations over a ramming incident at the weekend involving their vessels while Manila’s vessels were on a resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal where its soldiers are stationed in a deliberately grounded navy vessel.
“Obstructing supply lines to this longstanding outpost and interfering with lawful Philippines maritime operations undermines regional stability,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a December 10 statement shared by the US embassy in Manila on Monday.
The United States has called on China to comply with a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its sweeping claims in the South China Sea.
At the weekend, the Chinese coast guard called on the Philippines to stop its “provocative acts,” saying China would continue to carry out “law-enforcement activities” in its waters.
The United States also reiterated its support for treaty ally, the Philippines, and reaffirmed its commitment to the mutual defense pact between the two countries.
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. separately said the presence of Chinese coast guard vessels and maritime militia in his country’s waters is illegal and their actions against Filipinos is an outright violation of international law.
The Philippines has further steeled its determination to defend and protect its nation’s sovereign rights in the South China Sea amid “aggression and provocations” by China, Marcos posted on the X social media site late on Sunday.
“We remain undeterred,” the president said.


’Nothing more to say’: Trump cancels plan to testify in NY fraud trial

’Nothing more to say’: Trump cancels plan to testify in NY fraud trial
Updated 11 December 2023
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’Nothing more to say’: Trump cancels plan to testify in NY fraud trial

’Nothing more to say’: Trump cancels plan to testify in NY fraud trial
  • The trial concerns several other crimes, including insurance fraud, and the financial penalty sought by the Attorney General’s office of $250 million

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump changed his mind about testifying in his own defense in his New York fraud case on Monday, he said, announcing that he will not take the stand as expected because he has “nothing more to say.”
The 77-year-old posted the surprise statement on Truth Social on Sunday, adding that he has “already testified to everything” in the ongoing trial against him, his eldest sons Don Jr and Eric, and other Trump Organization executives.
Trump was questioned last month by the prosecution, which has accused him and the other defendants of exaggerating the value of their real estate assets by billions of dollars to obtain more favorable bank loans and insurance terms.
For four hours on November 6, Trump sparred with prosecutors — with his acrimonious answers at times earning rebukes from Judge Arthur Engoron, who warned the current Republican front-runner that “this is not a political rally.”
On Sunday, Trump said that he had already testified “very successfully & conclusively” in the case.
The Trump real estate empire has been put in jeopardy by the civil suit, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James and one of a slew of serious legal actions facing Trump ahead of next year’s presidential vote.
Even before opening arguments, Engoron ruled that James’s office had already shown “conclusive evidence” that Trump had overstated his net worth on financial documents by between $812 million and $2.2 billion between 2014 and 2021.
As a result, the judge ordered the liquidation of the companies managing the assets in question, such as the Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street skyscrapers in Manhattan — a decision currently under appeal.
The trial concerns several other crimes, including insurance fraud, and the financial penalty sought by the Attorney General’s office of $250 million.
Unlike some of Trump’s legal battles — including the criminal case against him accusing him of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election — the suit brought by James, a Democrat, carries no risk of jail time.
Since the start of the trial, which opened October 2, the billionaire Republican has denounced the proceedings as a partisan “witch hunt.”
At one point during his previous testimony, a visibly angry Engoron told Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, to “control your client.”
Engoron has also slapped Trump with $15,000 in fines for violating a partial gag order, imposed after he insulted the judge’s law clerk on social media.
For their part, Trump’s lawyers have argued that the banks the Trump Organization sent its financial statements did their own proper due diligence and were not financially harmed by the Trump team’s estimates — even bringing out current and former employees of Deutsche Bank, one the banks he’s accused of defrauding, to testify to that effect.
The trial is set to continue without Trump’s testimony, with a ruling expected by the end of January.
 

 


UK creates unit to clamp down on companies evading Russian sanctions

UK creates unit to clamp down on companies evading Russian sanctions
Updated 11 December 2023
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UK creates unit to clamp down on companies evading Russian sanctions

UK creates unit to clamp down on companies evading Russian sanctions
  • Britain warned last week that Russia was trying to circumvent sanctions
  • It announced 46 new measures against individuals and groups from other countries it said were involved in Russia’s military supply chains

LONDON: The British government said on Monday it was creating an enforcement unit to increase its power to crack down on companies evading Russian sanctions.

The Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) will be responsible for the civil enforcement of trade sanctions, investigating potential breaches, issuing penalties and referring cases for criminal enforcement.
It will also help businesses comply with sanctions, the government’s Department for Business and Trade said, and its remit will include activity by any UK national or UK-registered company that may be avoiding sanctions by sending products through other countries.
The unit will launch early next year and work alongside the existing Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation.
“We are leaving no stone unturned in our commitment to stopping (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war machine. That means clamping down on sanctions evaders and starving Russia of the technologies and revenues it needs to continue its illegal invasion,” Britain’s Industry and Economic Security Minister Nusrat Ghani said.
“Today’s announcement will help us do that, and send a clear message to those breaking the rules that there is nowhere to hide.”
Britain warned last week that Russia was trying to circumvent sanctions and announced 46 new measures against individuals and groups from other countries it said were involved in Russia’s military supply chains.
This included businesses operating in China, Turkiye, Serbia, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.
Britain said 20 billion pounds ($25.07 billion) of UK-Russia goods trade has now been sanctioned, with imports from Russia down 94 percent in the year to February 2023, compared to the previous year.


Australia plans to halve migrant intake, tighten student visa rules

Passengers check in at the refurbished Sydney International Airport Terminal. (AFP file photo)
Passengers check in at the refurbished Sydney International Airport Terminal. (AFP file photo)
Updated 11 December 2023
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Australia plans to halve migrant intake, tighten student visa rules

Passengers check in at the refurbished Sydney International Airport Terminal. (AFP file photo)
  • Australia boosted its annual migration numbers last year to help key businesses recruit staff to fill shortages after the COVID-19 pandemic brought tighter border controls, and kept foreign students and workers out of the country for nearly two years

SYDNEY: Australia on Monday said it would tighten visa rules for international students and low-skilled workers that could halve its migrant intake over the next two years as the government looks to overhaul what it said was a “broken” migration system.
The decision comes after net immigration was expected to have peaked at a record 510,000 in 2022-23. Official data showed it was forecast to fall to about a quarter of a million in 2024-25 and 2025-26, roughly in line with pre-COVID levels.
“We’ve worked around the clock to strike the best balance in Australia’s migration system,” Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said in a statement ahead of the formal release of the government’s new migration strategy later on Monday.
“The government’s targeted reforms are already putting downward pressure on net overseas migration, and will further contribute to this expected decline,” O’Neil said.
O’Neil said the increase in net overseas migration in 2022-23 was mostly driven by international students.
Australia boosted its annual migration numbers last year to help key businesses recruit staff to fill shortages after the COVID-19 pandemic brought tighter border controls, and kept foreign students and workers out of the country for nearly two years.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over the weekend said Australia’s migration numbers needed to be wound back to a “sustainable level,” adding that “the system is broken.”
Long reliant on immigration to supply what is now one of the tightest labor markets in the world, Australia’s Labor government has pushed to speed up the entry of highly skilled workers and smooth their path to permanent residency.
Under the new policies, international students would need higher ratings on English tests. It will also end settings that allowed students to prolong their stay in Australia.
A new specialist visa for highly skilled workers will be set up with the processing time cut to one week, helping businesses recruit top migrants amid tough competition with other developed economies.

 

 


Zelensky to meet with Biden, Republicans as war funding dries up

Zelensky to meet with Biden, Republicans as war funding dries up
Updated 11 December 2023
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Zelensky to meet with Biden, Republicans as war funding dries up

Zelensky to meet with Biden, Republicans as war funding dries up
  • Republican senators last week blocked $106 billion in emergency aid primarily for Ukraine and Israel after conservatives balked at the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded as part of the package

WASHINGTON: Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington Tuesday to meet President Joe Biden and plead his case before Republicans balking at sending more money for his fight against Russia, amid warnings aid will run out in weeks.
In a flurry of diplomatic activity after the White House announced Zelensky’s visit, an aide for Mike Johnson said the new Republican speaker for the House of Representatives — who has been trying to tie Ukraine aid to funding for US border security — will also meet with the Ukrainian leader Tuesday.
And a Senate official said Democratic majority leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader Mitch McConnell likewise invited Zelensky to speak at an all-Senators meeting Tuesday morning — one week after several Republicans angrily walked out of a classified Ukraine briefing that he had been due to address via video.
Biden and Zelensky “will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs” as it fights off a Russian invasion, and “the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The Ukrainian presidency said the meeting will focus on key issues such as “joint projects on the production of weapons and air defense systems, as well as the coordination of efforts between our countries in the coming year.”
Republican senators last week blocked $106 billion in emergency aid primarily for Ukraine and Israel after conservatives balked at the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded as part of the package.
It was a setback for Biden, who had urged lawmakers to approve the funds, warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not stop with victory in Ukraine and could even attack a NATO nation.

Shalanda Young, head of the White House Office of Management and Budget reiterated that fear on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, warning that “our national security is also influenced” by Ukraine’s fate.
“What happens if Putin marches through Ukraine, what’s next? NATO countries, our sons and daughters, are at risk of being a part of a larger conflict,” she said.
But Republicans remained skeptical, with Senator JD Vance, a close ally of former US president Donald Trump, dismissing the idea of Putin putting NATO countries in the region at risk “preposterous.”
He told CNN on Sunday that he opposes a “blank check” for Ukraine.
“You need to articulate what the ambition is. What is $61 billion going to accomplish that $100 billion hasn’t?” Vance said.
“What’s in America’s best interest is to accept Ukraine is going to have to cede some territory to the Russians and we need to bring the war to a close.”
The funding row underscores signs that Western support for Ukraine is fraying just as Kyiv’s counteroffensive falters and Putin’s forces push for new gains.
Ukraine’s offensive has employed billions of dollars’ worth of Western weapons — but the front lines have barely shifted in more than a year and Russian attacks along the front have intensified.
The White House said Biden’s meeting will come at a vital moment, “as Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine.”
At the start of December, Putin signed a decree to boost Russian forces by 15 percent, increasing the army by some 170,000 people.
Moscow has recently given signs about a possible peace deal, although one involving a shrunken, neutral Ukraine that would be impossible to swallow for Zelensky.
The US State Department announced a stopgap $175 million tranche of new aid for Ukraine on Wednesday, including prized HIMARS rockets, shells, missiles and ammunition.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken insisted on Sunday that “Ukraine has done an extraordinary job” defending itself.
“The choice is very clear,” he said on ABC. “If we do this and help Ukraine sustain the achievements that it’s made, help ensure that Russia continues to suffer a strategic failure in in Ukraine. That’s one route to go.
“The other route to go is to do something that the only people who are rooting for it are in Moscow, and maybe in Tehran and Beijing, which is not to provide this assistance,” he said.