Indonesia News
Sukarno’s Family Demands Apology From the US Over Assassination Plot
There was a time when the United States was obsessed with trying to assassinate other world leaders. They tried to kill Cuba’s Fidel Castro multiple times. Well, apparently Sukarno was on a CIA hit list as well, according to previously classified documents released last week. —Asian Correspondent
Why Stop at Alexis, Politicians, MUI Ask Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan
Jakarta’s new governor followed through on one of his strangest campaign promises earlier this week: shutting down North Jakarta’s (allegedly) notorious strip club/ karaoke den/ brothel Hotel Alexis. Now a chorus of Islamic leaders and politicians want the governor to go further and shut down the rest of the capital’s brothels and red light districts. —Coconuts
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Meikarta Land Permit is All Good, Says Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs
Meikarta, the proposed new city in the middle of Jakarta that promises to be the “Shenzhen of Indonesia,” has been criticized for continuing to advertise the project despite lacking in several permits from the central government. But today, during a ceremony of the completion of two Meikarta buildings in Cikarang, Luhut Bansar Pandjaitan, the Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs, said that the developer Lippo Group has obtained all of the necessary land use permits. He also said that people shouldn’t be so quick to judge the ambitious, multibillion USD project. —Kompas
International News
Tokyo Police Discover a Grisly Serial Killer In Their Midst
Police officers arrested a 27-year-old man after finding “several” dismembered head in a coolers in his apartment. The investigators made the discovery as they searched for a missing 23-year-old woman who disappeared last week. Police believe the killer murdered eight woman and one man. —The Guardian
Malaysia Has No Issue With Hardline Islamic Preachers Banned From Singapore Over Anti-Christmas Rhetoric
Two preachers who were forced to cancel a sermon and an Islamic cruise after being banned from Singapore for advocating a separation between Muslims and everyone else will be allowed to enter neighboring Malaysia, Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said. “We have no intention to stop them [from speaking’ since they have not broken any laws,” he said. —Today Online
Thailand Cancels Ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
Thai authorities cancelled Yingluck Shinawatra’s passport on Tuesday after the ousted prime minister disappeared overseas to avoid a five-year prison sentence over what she called “politically motivated” charges stemming from a troubled rice subsidy scheme. But she reportedly has four other passports, two diplomatic and two national. —Associated Press
Cambodia Refuses to Release Jailed Opposition Leader
The courts denied a request to release Kem Sokha, an opposition leader jailed on treason charges that outside observers have called a move by Prime Minister Hun Sen to establish a one-party system. The Supreme Court says it can’t release Kem Sokha because it might cause issues with the government’s planned dissolution of the opposition CNRP.—Reuters
Everything Else
A Big Mac By Any Other Name
McDonalds is changing its name in China to Golden Arches (China) Co. Ltd. after selling off most of its China and Hong Kong restaurants to CITIC Ltd and Carlyle Group. But don’t worry, the change is only on paper. Both the arches and the iconic name will remain, a spokesperson said. —Reuters
Remembering Suzzanna, Indonesia’s Eternal Queen of Horror
Suzzanna cast a long shadow. The horror icon will forever be Indonesia’s reigning queen of darkness. We interviewed the people who knew her best to find out what made her so special. —VICE
NASA Has Made a Playlist of ‘Spooky Space Sounds’
Because no one can hear you scream in space. But they can totally hear freaky electromagnetic waves. —VICE
The Ketogenic Diet Is Probably Not for You
The high-fat diet is all the rage, but the alleged health benefits haven’t actually been proven by scientists. —VICE
