Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 30m

Indonesian government is aiming to pass the cybersecurity and resilience bill into law by the end of 2025, as the draft law has been included in the parliament's priority list. Militarization and crackdown fears overshadow cybersecurity bill www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/20...

Militarization, crackdown fears overshadow cybersecurity bill - Politics - The Jakarta Post

The government is aiming to pass the cybersecurity and resilience bill into law by the end of 2025, as the draft law has been included in the House of Representatives’ 2025 Prolegnas (National Legisla...

www.thejakartapost.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 41m

Indonesia’s excess budget balance is a prudential buffer, a rainy day fund meant to safeguard public finance during crises. This shift undermines fiscal discipline. It leaves Indonesia with a thinner firewall just as the global economy faces uncertainty www.asiasentinel.com/p/indonesia-...

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 18h

The Chinese Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, in practice, the Chinese Communist Party permits only state-approved congregations to operate openly. Still, tens of millions of Chinese Christians worship in underground churches in houses www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/w...

China Detains Dozens of Members of Underground Church

www.nytimes.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 1d

Trump has an unusual diplomatic negotiating style. When it came to seeking peace in Gaza, Trump was not interested in the politics of distributing blame or slinging humiliating nicknames, including Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/o...

Opinion | Give Trump the Nobel for Gaza, if He Does the Harder Parts to Come

www.nytimes.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 1d

Mongabay founder Rhett Butler has been awarded the 2025 Henry Shaw Medal from the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, U.S. Butler joins a distinguished group of honorees from outside research including the National Geographic Society and King Charles news.mongabay.com/short-articl...

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 1d

President Prabowo Subianto announced the creation of the Executive Committee for the Acceleration of Papua Development, naming several key officials who will support the implementation of development programs in the region www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/20...

Papua in focus as Prabowo swears in leaders, new development authority - Politics - The Jakarta Post

President Prabowo Subianto has announced the creation of the Executive Committee for the Acceleration of Papua Development, naming several key officials who will support the implementation of developm...

www.thejakartapost.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 3d

Indonesian government threatened to ban TikTok unless it handed over livestream data from August’s riots. Behind the batons and tear gas, a layered surveillance state has taken root in Indonesia: CCTV grids, facial recognition, commercial spyware etc medium.com/@michi.buehl...

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 3d

Hamas and Israel were preparing for an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners this weekend after an agreement overnight, the culmination of sustained pressure from President Donald Trump and Arab mediators www.nytimes.com/live/2025/10...

Live Updates: Israel and Hamas Agree to Hostage and Prisoner Exchange

www.nytimes.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 4d

EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami from KPop Demon Hunters talk about making an appearance on Saturday Night Live, the emotional responses they've received from fans of the Netflix film all over the world www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9Pu...

EJAE, Audrey Nuna & Rei Ami from KPop Demon Hunters Get Surprised with Platinum Record for "Golden"

YouTube video by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

www.youtube.com

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 5d

Indonesia's public works minister visited the collapsed Islamic school in Sidoarjo, Java Island, where 60 students were killed. He said it has no building permit, only 50 have the permits in Indonesia which has at least 42,000 Islamic boarding schools www.tempo.co/politik/ment...

Menteri PU: Hanya 50 dari 42 Ribu Pesantren yang Memiliki IMB

Dody menyebut baru 50 pesantren yang memiliki izin mendirikan bangunan (IMB).

www.tempo.co

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 6d

Belva Davis, the first Black woman hired as a television reporter on the Bay Area and overcame hostility and career roadblocks to becoming a respected figure in television news for nearly 50 years, died at her home in Oakland, California www.nytimes.com/2025/10/04/b...

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 6d

Philip Bowring: With the "Patriot Bonds" whose interest rate is lower than the market ones, President Prabowo risks alienating international investors www.asiasentinel.com/p/patriot-bo...

‘Patriot Bonds,’ an Indonesian Shakedown?

Prabowo risks alienating international investors

www.asiasentinel.com

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 6d

In Canberra, Singapore's PM Lawrence Wong wants to expand its military ties with Australia, discussing a bigger Australian troop presence in the island state, concerns about possible conflict in Taiwan and the impact of Trump's tariffs on Singapore www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnhn...

Singapore PM talks Taiwan, Trump tariffs and Australian military presence | ABC NEWS

YouTube video by ABC News (Australia)

www.youtube.com

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 6d

The radiation reading in some locations in the Cikande industrial estate is 1,000 microSievert per hour. Sieverts quantify the amount of radiation absorbed by human tissues. People are exposed to natural radiation of 2-3 milliSievert per year www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 6d

Since the rollout of a government program, thousands of students in Indonesia have suffered food poisoning after eating free school meals. Launched to combat malnutrition, the initiative is facing mounting calls for suspension www.dw.com/en/students-...

Students in Indonesia fall sick from free school meals – DW – 10/06/2025

Since the rollout of a government program, thousands of students in Indonesia have suffered food poisoning after eating free school meals. Launched to combat malnutrition, the initiative is facing mou...

www.dw.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 6d

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte are locked in a political battle. But the stakes go far beyond domestic politics. The Philippines sits at the heart of the US–China power struggle in the region www.youtube.com/watch?v=STFo...

How a Wild Philippines Political Feud Could Affect Asia

YouTube video by Bloomberg Originals

www.youtube.com

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 6d

Netanyahu is in no position to defy Donald Trump while facing international censure over Israel’s conduct in the war and growing international isolation, increasing its reliance on the United States www.nytimes.com/2025/10/05/w...

Strong-Armed by Trump, Netanyahu Embraces Gaza Deal as a Personal Win

www.nytimes.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 7d

A recent wave of book confiscations during police crackdowns on alleged “provocateurs” behind Indonesian street protests has been met with sharp criticism from rights groups, who say the practice undermines freedom of expression share.google/4vZOGOeBaWaf...

Reading as evidence: Indonesian police’s book seizures during protests cause outrage

A recent wave of book confiscations during police crackdowns on alleged “provocateurs” behind nationwide protests has triggered sharp criticism from rights groups, who say the practice undermines free...

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 7d

Indonesia's private fuel retailers such as Shell and BP are facing gasoline shortages due to a jump in demand as consumers shift away from state-owned Pertamina following concerns over its fuel quality and as the government capped imports share.google/gc9Y7Av64PWQ...

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 7d

Activists joined five Indonesian vessels financed through Indonesian public donations for the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian mission involving at least 44 countries, aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of Gaza www.thejakartapost.com/world/2025/1...

Foreign Ministry confirms safety of Indonesian activist in Gaza flotilla - Middle East and Africa - The Jakarta Post

Muhammad Husein, an Indonesian citizen participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla, is in good condition and under Jakarta’s close monitoring, the Foreign Ministry confirmed as Israel’s latest blockade...

www.thejakartapost.com

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 8d

Indonesia confirms widespread radioactive contamination at industrial hub in Cikande, Banten province, Java Island share.google/qvbIqxeUIt0c...

Indonesia confirms widespread radioactive contamination at industrial hub

An investigation into suspected radioactive contamination at the Cikande Industrial Estate commenced in August after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detected Cs-137 contamination ...

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 8d

Russian drones, jet fighters and other aircraft have increasingly intruded into NATO airspace. In recent months, Russian drones flew deep into Poland, warplanes violated Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes and Denmark spotted drones over its air force base www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3W3...

How Russia Brazenly Tests NATO’s Air Defenses | WSJ

YouTube video by The Wall Street Journal

www.youtube.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 8d

Sanae Takaichi, a conservative Japanese lawmaker, won a critical leadership vote on Saturday, putting her on track to become Japan’s first female prime minister, a milestone in a country where women are vastly underrepresented in politics www.nytimes.com/2025/10/04/w...

Japan Is Set for Its First Female Prime Minister

www.nytimes.com

Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 8d

Russell T. Vought spent years drawing up plans to expand U.S. presidential power and shrink federal bureaucracy. Now as Donald Trump's budget director, he is moving closer to making that vision a reality, threatening to erode checks and balances www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/u...

The Man Behind Trump’s Push for an All-Powerful Presidency

www.nytimes.com

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Andreas Harsono @andreasharsono.bsky.social · 9d

Sarah Mullally, the Anglican bishop of London, was named as the 106th archbishop of Canterbury, making her the spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide and the first woman to occupy a history-laden post, established more than 1,400 years ago www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/w...

After Centuries, a Woman Will Lead the Church of England

www.nytimes.com