Indonesian workers are calling for higher wages to improve the quality of their lives as worries mount over a slowing economy and competition from neighboring ASEAN countries. There are almost 110.8 million workers in Indonesia, according to the National Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data from August 2013, but almost half of are low-skilled laborers. According to the same figures, 46.93 percent have graduated from elementary school, 18.5 percent have graduated from junior highschool, and 6.83 […]
Other News
Poaching for ivory identified as major threat to African elephants
As its protest of sincerity, Kenya has burned 105 tons of ivories on Saturday for the largest scale of ivory destruction in African history. The burned ivories are worth about 100 million U.S. dollars. The Kenyan president, Uhuru Kenyatta, has done the lighting in person to further emphasize the sincere determination of the nation in its fight against elephant poaching. Of the 450,000 to 500,000 heads of elephants now roaming the African continent, more than […]
Solar-powered plane to soar again on round-the-world flight
SAN FRANCISCO , United States (AFP) — Solar Impulse 2, an experimental aircraft flying around the world to draw attention to clean energy technologies, is to take flight again on Monday, organizers said. Pilot Andre Borschberg will take off at 12:00 GMT (5:00AM PT) taking advantage of a “clear weather window” for him to fly from the Mojave Desert to Phoenix Goodyear Airport in Arizona — an effort that should take about 16 hours, they […]
World Food Program provides healthy lunches to struggling students
The World Food Programme (WFP) is feeding scores of school children in Jordan in an attempt to stop hunger from being a barrier to learning. The programme cooperates with local charities and housewives, who come together to create fresh and nutritious meals for children all around the kingdom. “The school meal programme targets poverty pockets in all 12 governorates of the Kingdom. Through this project we targeted all the charities that have a kitchen and […]
Foreign minister reaffirms Japan’s economic ties to Thailand
Japan’s foreign minister arrived in Bangkok on Sunday (May 1) for a two-day visit aiming to strengthen economic ties after Japanese investments in Thailand slumped last year amid political fears as well as stiff competition emerging from more nimble neighbours. Fumio Kishida and his Thai counterpart, Don Pramudwinai, met to discuss various issues on bilateral cooperation and regional matters. Kishida told a news conference after the meeting that Thailand remained an important stakeholder to […]
Kerry says hopes for progress in Geneva talks on Syria ceasefire
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday (May 1) he hoped to make progress in discussions in Geneva over the next two days toward renewing a cessation of hostilities agreement throughout Syria and resuming peace talks to end the fighting. “The hope is that we can make some progress. But the United Nations Security Council Resolution calls for a full countrywide cessation and also for all of the country to be accessible for […]
Tear gas in Paris, Istanbul as tensions erupt on May Day
by Fran Blandy with Stuart Williams in Istanbul PARIS , France (AFP) — French and Turkish police fired tear gas at protesters as tensions erupted in both countries during May Day rallies Sunday, while thousands marched across the globe for the annual celebration of worker’s rights. From Moscow to Madrid, workers chanted demands for higher wages, better conditions and more job security as many countries battle economic uncertainty and high unemployment. Thick clouds of tear […]
Egypt police arrest two journalists wanted for incitement
CAIRO , Egypt (AFP) — Egyptian police stormed the headquarters of the journalists’ association in central Cairo Sunday and arrested two journalists for incitement to protest, judicial sources and the head of the union said. “This is the first time that police have stormed the headquarters of the association,” its head Yahiya Kallash told AFP, adding that journalists Amr Badr and Mahmud el-Sakka were arrested. A judicial source said the pair had been wanted by […]
NBA: Warriors dominate Portland, Heat crush Hornets to advance
LOS ANGELES ,United States (AFP) — Klay Thompson scored 37 points and Draymond Green posted his first post-season triple-double as the Golden State Warriors opened the second round of the NBA playoffs on Sunday with a convincing 118-106 victory over Portland. The absence of injured superstar Stephen Curry made no difference for the reigning champion Warriors, who connected on 47.3 percent of their shots against a Trail Blazers team that had wrapped up their first-round […]
Obama torches Trump at his final Washington correspondents’ dinner
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday took aim at Democrats and Republicans alike in his final appearance headlining the star-studded White House correspondents’ dinner, but saved his sharpest barbs for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump. “The Republican establishment is incredulous that he’s their most likely nominee,” Obama told attendees at the black-tie event, which brought together journalists and media moguls with Hollywood stars and power brokers from Capitol Hill and beyond. “They […]
Rousseff rallies Brazil anti-impeachment crowd
by Natalia RAMOS SAO PAULO , Brazil (AFP) — Brazil’s embattled leftist President Dilma Rousseff vowed at a protest Sunday to go down fighting ahead of what could be her final full week in power before impeachment. Thousands of people attended May Day rallies organized by labor unions in cities across Latin America’s biggest country, with Rousseff telling a crowd in the financial powerhouse Sao Paulo that she would “fight to the end.” The traditional […]
Indonesian sailors home after Philippine kidnap ordeal
by Olivia Rondonuwu JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Ten Indonesian sailors held hostage by Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants returned home Sunday after being freed in the southern Philippines, less than a week after the gunmen beheaded a Canadian captive. About five weeks after being abducted, the 10 tugboat crew turned up outside the house of the provincial governor on the remote Philippine island of Jolo. They flew back to Jakarta later the same day, arriving on […]
