For years, a battle has been raging between local people and the pulp and paper giant PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL). Yesterday, a rally turned violent after heavy-handed police intervention. Religious leaders raised the issue in parliament. Biodiversity and natural ecosystems are at risk.
The pontiff met with a delegation from the community today at the Vatican, mentioning Francis’s 2024 visit, the Istiqlal “Message of Hope”, and 75 years of diplomatic relations with the Holy See. Leo expressed gratitude for the "strong ties" between “Christian and non-Christian neighbors alike,” noting that welcoming migrants is an example of a "culture of encounter”.
The provision is contained in the new presidential regulation, with updates on government work for 2025. The development of the new capital, inaugurated last year but incomplete, enters its second phase (2025-2029). Cuts in public spending are a cause for concern, while the authorities deny any interruptions and are focusing on private funding.
Representatives from 16 countries met in Jakarta to take stock of the initiatives promoted by the network of religious women against this ‘crime against humanity’. Among the priorities are the growth of the Youth Ambassadors experience for the prevention of the phenomenon among the younger generations and interreligious collaboration in victim support networks.
Bali Governor Wayan Koster announced a moratorium on farmland conversion to tourist and commercial use. Every year, about 1,000 hectares of rice paddies and green spaces are lost, with extensive damages to the island’s traditional irrigation system. According to the Environment Ministry, only 3 per cent of the Ayung River Basin is still covered by forest, far from the minimum standard of 30 per cent.
The government, through the Ministry of Finance, has allocated more than billion to five credit institutions. The funds will be provided through a ‘demand deposit’ scheme and will also apply to Islamic finance. Scepticism and doubts about the real effectiveness, the logic of the measure and the real impact on the economy.
