Category: Indonesia

Asia

Indonesia’s 500-Year-Old Whale-Hunting Tradition Is Disappearing—And a New Generation May Decide Its Fate

LAMALERA, Indonesia — On the remote island of Lembata in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, an extraordinary tradition has survived for centuries: fishermen setting out in small wooden boats to hunt whales using little more than hand-crafted equipment and generations-old knowledge. But the future of the practice is increasingly uncertain. For the people of Lamalera, traditional whale hunting is not primarily a commercial industry. It has historically been part of a subsistence economy an

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Asia

Indonesia Wants Its Best and Brightest Back—But Will Dual Citizenship Be Enough to Bring Them Home?

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia is considering one of its biggest changes to citizenship policy in decades, with President Prabowo Subianto proposing limited dual citizenship for selected members of the Indonesian diaspora whose skills and expertise are considered strategically important to the country. The proposal has been welcomed by Indonesians living overseas, particularly professionals who have spent years building careers and families abroad. But as excitement grows, so do major questions

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Asia

WILDFIRES CLOSE IN ON INDONESIA’S FUTURE CAPITAL: Authorities Turn to Water Bombing as Flames Spread

JAKARTA — Indonesia has launched aerial water-bombing operations to help contain wildfires spreading around Nusantara, the country’s planned new capital in East Kalimantan, as authorities confront an increasingly severe forest and land-fire season across the archipelago. The operation is aimed at stopping fires in areas surrounding Nusantara from advancing toward the core development zone of the under-construction capital. Nusantara Capital Authority environment and natural resources deputy My

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Asia

Wildfires Close In on Borneo’s Orangutans—Then Rescuers Find Another Mother and Baby

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian wildlife rescuers have evacuated another orangutan mother and her baby from a forest threatened by advancing wildfires, highlighting the growing danger facing one of the world's most endangered great apes as fires continue to spread across Borneo. The latest rescue took place in West Kalimantan's Ketapang district, where a mother orangutan and her infant had been under observation since July after they were spotted in a plantation area near a forest. Authorities

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Asia

Indonesia’s Wildfires Are Choking Southeast Asia—And the Toxic Haze Could Get Even Worse

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A worsening wildfire crisis in Indonesia is sending thick, toxic haze across Southeast Asia, disrupting schools, threatening public health and pushing parts of neighboring Malaysia into emergency measures as smoke travels hundreds of kilometers beyond the Indonesian archipelago. Fires burning across parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan have intensified during one of Indonesia's harshest dry periods in years, with hot and dry conditions linked to a powerful El Niño pattern helpin

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Asia

Indonesia’s Main Airport Shut Down After Anak Krakatau Eruption—Hundreds of Flights Caught in the Disruption

JAKARTA — Indonesia temporarily suspended flight operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Sunday after volcanic ash from an eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau spread into the airport area, disrupting hundreds of flights and affecting thousands of passengers. The eruption of Anak Krakatau, the volcano located in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, sent ash plumes across parts of western Indonesia, prompting aviation authorities to halt operations at the country’s busiest airport

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Business

Indonesia Wildfires Force More Orangutan Rescues as Smoke Threatens Borneo Wildlife

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia's worsening forest and land fires are pushing endangered orangutans out of their shrinking habitats, prompting another wave of emergency wildlife rescues across Borneo. The latest rescue involved a mother orangutan and her baby in West Kalimantan, where authorities evacuated the pair after fires began spreading toward their habitat. Their rescue brings the number of orangutans evacuated because of wildfire threats in Ketapang district to nine in less than a month,

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Asia

Miss World 2026 Coronation Night Underway in Vietnam—Then the Philippines’ Asia Rose Simpson Makes the Cut

NHA TRANG, Vietnam — The highly anticipated Miss World 2026 coronation night has officially begun in Vietnam, with 111 delegates from around the world competing for the coveted blue crown in the pageant's 75th Anniversary Edition. The grand finale is taking place at April 2 Square in Nha Trang, where thousands of spectators are watching the outdoor spectacle unfold. The event marks the culmination of weeks of competitions, advocacy activities, cultural showcases and challenges involving contest

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Asia

Wildfires Are Closing In on Indonesia’s New Capital—Now Authorities Are Racing Against Time

JAKARTA/NUSANTARA — Wildfires are spreading across areas surrounding Indonesia’s under-construction capital, Nusantara, forcing authorities to intensify firefighting efforts as an unusually severe dry season raises fears that the blazes could worsen. Authorities overseeing the Nusantara capital project have called for stronger intervention, including aerial water bombing and cloud-seeding operations, as fires continue to burn across parts of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. The latest

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Asia

Indonesia’s Wildfires Are Choking Southeast Asia — But September May Be the Most Dangerous Month Yet

JAKARTA — Indonesia’s worsening forest and land fires have turned into a regional air-quality crisis, sending smoke across international borders, disrupting schools and flights, and exposing millions of people to unhealthy air. But the most worrying part may be what comes next. Indonesian officials and climate experts say September could prove to be one of the most critical periods of the 2026 fire season as an exceptionally strong El Niño combines with prolonged dry weather across major parts

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