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☆ Indonesia Volcano Eruption Kills 11 Hikers, Spews Ash Nearly 2 Miles High
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Jon Emont | Ismira Lutfia Tisnadibrata | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Indonesia’s Mount Marapi volcano erupted on Sunday killing at least 11 climbers, according to the Associated Press. At least 75 climbers had started their way up the nearly 9,500-foot mountain on Saturday and became stranded. Photo: Ardhy Fernando/APDozens of Indonesian hikers were crowded near the top of Mount Marapi late Sunday morning, snapping selfies and admiring one of the most celebrated views on Sumatra island. A few hours later the volcano erupted, spewing ash and scorching volcanic rocks that killed at least 11 of them and injured many others as they fled down its steep slopes.

Persons: Ardhy Fernando, Mount Marapi Organizations: Associated Press, Mount Locations: Marapi

☆ As Chinese Tastes Change, Farmers Everywhere Rip Up and Replant
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Jon Emont | Trang Bui | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

EA YONG, Vietnam—In the verdant highlands of central Vietnam, warehouses the size of airplane hangars dominate small farming towns, bristling with mounds of tropical fruit. The bounty is destined for a colossal market: China. Farmers are felling coffee trees traditionally grown in this cool hilly region to plant spiky durians, pungent fruits that have become wildly popular in China. They are reaping the windfall to buy new irrigation systems, pay off loans and build shiny marble facades to their homes.

Persons: EA YONG, Vietnam — Organizations: EA, Farmers Locations: Vietnam, China

☆ The Workers Who Make Your Clothes Want Higher Pay. Who Should Pony Up?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Jon Emont | Refayet Ullah Mirdha | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

DHAKA, Bangladesh—The armies of people who make clothes for Western brands—some of the lowest-paid factory workers in the world—are protesting for better wages, a fresh sign that the era of ultracheap labor, and ultracheap clothes, on which many companies rely is increasingly under strain. Garment workers in Bangladesh make as little as $3 a day, or about $75 a month. In recent days, tens of thousands have refused to work, calling for the minimum wage to be raised to nearly three times that amount. Demonstrations have spiraled, with factories set ablaze and machines smashed. Some three hundred factories were forced to stop operations.

Locations: DHAKA, Bangladesh

☆ World’s Top School Systems Try to Ease Pressure on Students
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, a6154973 Locations: asia

☆ Biden Seeks Stronger Vietnam Ties in Bid to Counter China
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, biden Locations: asia, vietnam

Barbie-maker Mattel, which has a large production base in Asia, is grappling with higher labor costs and has raised prices for its products. Nike, which makes most of its shoes in Asia, flagged in June that its product costs had gone up because of higher labor expenses.

Persons: Barbie Organizations: Mattel, Nike Locations: Asia

☆ The Era of Ultracheap Stuff Is Under Threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/asia-factories-consumer-goods-labor-prices-7140ab98

Persons: Dow Jones Locations: asia

☆ China Controls Minerals That Run the World—and It Just Fired a Warning Shot at U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Nickel is an essential component of electric-vehicle batteries and Indonesia is by far the world’s largest producer. A rare visit to one of its biggest nickel plants reveals the heavy environmental cost of mining and processing the metal. Photo: Ulet IfansastiSINGAPORE—China’s decision this week to restrict the export of two minerals used in semiconductors, solar panels and missile systems was more than a trade salvo. It was a reminder of its dominant hold over the world’s mineral resources—and a warning of its willingness to use them in its escalating rivalry with the U.S.

Organizations: U.S Locations: Indonesia, SINGAPORE

☆ How China Came to Dominate the World’s Largest Nickel Source for Electric Cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/mineral-rich-developing-nations-demand-bigger-piece-of-the-ev-pie-d1421603

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ EV Makers Confront the ‘Nickel Pickle’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Jon Emont | Photographs Ulet Ifansasti For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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Persons: Dow Jones, 9152b1f Locations: indonesia

☆ As China Risks Grow, Manufacturers Seek Plan B—and C and D
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-china-risks-grow-manufacturers-seek-plan-band-c-and-d-aad7c47b

Persons: Dow Jones

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-oil-giants-retreat-globally-smaller-players-rush-in-4a8283da

☆ Antony Blinken Tries to Draw Vietnam Closer, With an Eye on China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( William Mauldin | Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Vietnam Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son in Hanoi on Saturday. HANOI, Vietnam—Secretary of State Antony Blinken broke ground at a new U.S. embassy site during his first visit to Vietnam as America’s top diplomat, with Washington seeking to establish closer relations with a country that has historic ties with both China and Russia. In Communist-led Vietnam, Mr. Blinken didn’t make comments about China, with whom Washington’s relations have worsened. Instead, as with much of Southeast Asia—where governments are wary about picking sides—U.S. officials say they are eager to build practical cooperation based on trade and adhering to agreed upon international rules of the road.

☆ Ford Invests in $4.5 Billion Indonesia Facility to Secure Nickel for EV Batteries
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ford Motor Co. is investing in a $4.5 billion nickel processing facility in Indonesia as the auto maker seeks to secure a supply of key minerals used in electric-vehicle batteries. The project also involves PT Vale Indonesia TBK, which controls a large nickel-mining area on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, and China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., a leading refiner.

☆ FIFA Removes Indonesia as Host of Under-20 World Cup After Calls for Israel’s Exclusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Protesters took part in a rally against Israel in Jakarta earlier this month. FIFA has removed Indonesia as host of the Under-20 soccer World Cup less than two months before the tournament is set to begin, after prominent politicians in the Muslim-majority country objected to Israel’s participation. Israel qualified for the youth tournament for the first time in its history. Indonesia, which doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Israel, was set to host its first FIFA tournament. Preparations had been under way for months, with possible host stadiums narrowed down to six and a mascot selected—a Javanese rhino named Bacuya, whose multicolored horn glowed when he played soccer with others.

☆ ‘Small Moscow’ Emerges in Bali, Stirring Backlash
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Former Indonesian Police Officer Convicted Over Deadly Soccer Disaster
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jon Emont | Fadiyah Alaidrus | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An Indonesian court has sentenced Hasdarmawan, a former police commander, to 18 months in prison. A former police commander was found guilty of criminal negligence for his role managing crowd control at a packed Indonesian soccer stadium last year, while two other police officials were acquitted on charges related to the sporting disaster that killed more than 130 people. An Indonesian court sentenced Hasdarmawan, who goes by one name, to 18 months in prison. He had been charged with ordering other officers to fire tear gas. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict the two acquitted officers.

☆ Russia’s War in Ukraine Hurts Its Arms Industry, Creates Openings for Rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Alistair Macdonald | Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Among the casualties of Russia’s war in Ukraine: its own lucrative arms-export industry. Russia has long been the world’s second-largest arms exporter, after the U.S., but its sales have been in decline ever since Moscow-backed forces seized parts of Ukraine in 2014.

☆ Russia’s War in Ukraine Hurts Its Arms Industry, Creating Openings for Rivals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Alistair Macdonald | Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Among the casualties of Russia’s war in Ukraine: its own lucrative arms-export industry. Russia has long been the world’s second-largest arms exporter, after the U.S., but its sales have declined ever since Moscow-backed forces seized parts of Ukraine in 2014.

☆ Indonesia Shows It’s Possible to Tame Rainforest Destruction
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Jon Emont | Photographs Muhammad Fadli For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

KUBU RAYA, Indonesia—A decade ago, Indonesia was destroying its tropical rainforest at a faster rate than almost any other country. Virgin forest five times the area of Los Angeles was vanishing every year in one of the earth’s most biologically diverse places, in large part to make way for plantations producing palm oil for consumer goods such as lipstick, pizza dough and shampoo.

☆ Lowly, Bitter Coffee Bean Seeks Respect from Caffeine Snobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

For decades the lowly Robusta coffee bean has been anathema to many American coffee companies. Though less expensive than the cherished Arabica bean, Robusta has a bitter taste that has been likened to burned rubber. No wonder that Peet’s Coffee notes on its website that Robusta has “never been on the menu,” and that Dunkin doesn’t serve it in the U.S. or most international markets. Starbucks says the bean’s “less refined flavor is absolutely the reason we don’t even touch it.”

☆ A Skyscraper-Packed City Has Become an Unlikely Oasis—for an Endangered Songbird
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SINGAPORE—This skyscraper-studded financial and technology hub teems with digitally savvy residents. Some of the most notable tweets, though, are the old fashioned variety, made by an actual bird. Over the past few years, Singapore has earned an unlikely reputation as an answer to what environmentalists call the Asian songbird crisis.

☆ Chinese and Local Workers Clash at Indonesia Nickel Smelter, Leaving Two Dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Jon Emont | Austin Ramzy | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A clash involving Chinese and Indonesian workers at a nickel smelter in Indonesia left two people dead and a part of the facility burned down, showing how tensions have accompanied the expansion of Chinese investment in operations to mine and process the lucrative metal in the Southeast Asian country. The violence—which broke out Saturday at the facility of PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry, a subsidiary of China’s Jiangsu Delong Nickel Industry Co.—involved the use of pipes and rocks, a police spokesman said. As the confrontation spiraled, workers set fire to mess halls, dozens of rooms and heavy machinery, said the spokesman, Didik Supranoto .

☆ Indonesia Risks Confrontation With China Over Gas Project in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Jon Emont | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Indonesia intensified naval and air patrols around the Natuna Islands after it inaugurated a military command base on the cluster’s main island in 2018. Around a remote cluster of islands in the South China Sea, Indonesia is pushing back against Beijing’s expansive claims over the strategic waterway. It announced last week that it had approved plans to develop a large natural-gas field near the Natuna Islands. The field sits within Indonesia’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone, which means that under international law, Jakarta has the right to exploit natural resources there. But China’s claims cover almost all of the South China Sea, extending to the area where the gas field lies, nearly 1,000 miles from the Chinese mainland.

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