VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Sri Lankans have been protesting over sharp price rises and crippling power cuts as the country faces severe shortages of food and other essentials. (Photo: AFP/Ishara S Kodikara) - 

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka imposed fuel rationing on Friday (Apr 15) in another worsening of the economic crisis that has sparked widespread demonstrations calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation.

The state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), which accounts for two-thirds of the retail fuel market, said it would limit the quantities drivers can buy, and banned pumping into cans altogether to prevent motorists stocking up on petrol or diesel in fear of further rationing.

The maximum for motorcycles was set at four litres of petrol, with three-wheelers allowed five litres, the CPC said. Private cars, vans and SUVs were allowed up to 19.5 litres of either petrol or diesel.

Most pumping stations were already out of petrol, while the few that remained open saw long queues. At least eight people have died while waiting in fuel lines since last month.

Energy ministry officials said they expected the country's other fuel retailer, Lanka IOC - the local unit of Indian Oil Corporation - to follow suit.

There was no immediate comment from the Lanka IOC, which accounts for the remaining one third of the market.

The island nation is in the grip of its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, with severe shortages of essential goods and regular blackouts causing widespread misery.

The country's main cooking gas retailer Litro Gas said it was completely out of stock, but hoped to get new supplies by Monday to resume distribution.

The state-owned firm said its chairman, Theshara Jayasinghe, a strong ally of Rajapaksa, had resigned on Thursday over the "prevailing situation" in the country.

Tens of thousands of people kept up a protest outside Rajapaksa's office for a seventh straight day Friday demanding he quit over the economic hardships suffered by the country's 22 million residents.

Sri Lanka's economic meltdown began after the coronavirus pandemic torpedoed vital revenue from tourism and remittances.

The government has urged citizens abroad to donate foreign exchange to help pay for desperately needed essentials after announcing a default on its entire external debt.

It has announced it will open negotiations with the International Monetary Fund to seek a bailout//CNA

One major battleground is Facebook, the most popular platform in the Philippines and used by most of its 76 million Internet users (Photo: AFP/Jam Sta Rosa) - 

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has rejected a proposed law requiring social media users to register their real names and phone numbers, citing threats to free speech and privacy, his spokesman said Friday (Apr 15).

The legislation, designed to combat fake news, online abuse, text scams and militant bombings, also required mobile phone users to provide their personal details when buying SIM cards.

It was approved by both houses of Congress in February, but critics said it was a form of state surveillance.

While supporting efforts to tackle cybercrime and other online offences, Duterte said he opposed the inclusion of social media user registration in the Bill.

He called for "a more thorough study" of the provision, citing concerns it could lead to "dangerous state intrusion and surveillance threatening many constitutionally protected rights" such as individual privacy and free speech, presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said in a statement.

Filipinos rank among the world's heaviest users of social media, and the country has become a key battleground for misleading or fake news.

Renato Reyes, secretary-general of leftist alliance Bayan, welcomed the veto, saying SIM card and social media registration created a "chilling effect" for users and would "not deter crime".

"A big part of the problem is government itself, as it benefits directly and indirectly from nefarious online activities," Reyes said in a statement.

"We should start with demanding the government stop weaponizing social media and attacking people online."

Duterte's election victory in 2016 was underpinned by social media campaigning at a time when online misinformation was on the rise.

Critics accused the Duterte camp of employing online trolls to praise him while attacking dissenters - even issuing death threats. Duterte has denied the allegations.

Since taking power, the authoritarian firebrand has been accused of harassing or even jailing opponents and shutting down media outlets critical of his policies.

Duterte's decision to block the Bill comes as a torrent of misinformation floods Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter ahead of the May 9 national elections.

Ferdinand Marcos Junior is leading the race for the presidency, while his running mate and first daughter Sara Duterte is the top contender for vice president.

Senate president and vice presidential candidate Vicente Sotto, who had supported the legislation, responded sarcastically to the veto.

"Great! Bombings and blackmail and scams will continue using prepaid sims," Sotto tweeted.

Many mobile phone users in the Philippines use pre-paid SIM cards that they buy over the counter without giving their names and addresses to providers.

Militant groups fighting the government in the country's south are known to favour the use of mobile phones to remotely detonate improvised explosive devices, leaving police with one less way to track the perpetrators.

The proposed measure can still become law if legislators can muster a two-thirds vote in each chamber to override the presidential veto, but that is unlikely to happen before the polls//CNA

A general view during the test firing of what state media report is a North Korean "new type" of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in this undated photo released on Mar 24, 2022 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). (Photo: KCNA via REUTERS) - 

The US envoy for North Korea will visit Seoul next week for meetings with South Korean counterparts to discuss the international response to the North's recent intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) launches, the State Department said.

US Special Representative Sung Kim has said he is open to talks with North Korea at any time and without preconditions, but Pyongyang has so far rebuffed those overtures, accusing Washington of maintaining hostile policies such as sanctions and military drills.

The US envoy for North Korea will visit Seoul next week for meetings with South Korean counterparts to discuss the international response to the North's recent intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) launches, the State Department said.

US Special Representative Sung Kim has said he is open to talks with North Korea at any time and without preconditions, but Pyongyang has so far rebuffed those overtures, accusing Washington of maintaining hostile policies such as sanctions and military drills.

Kim, and his deputy, Jung Pak, will meet with South Korean officials, including nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk, during a five-day visit starting Monday, the State Department said in a statement.

The visit underscores the US and South Korean commitment to ongoing close collaboration on North Korean issues as they "seek to advance complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula," the statement said.

The United States is pushing the UN Security Council to further sanction North Korea over its renewed ballistic missile launches by banning tobacco, halving oil exports to the country and blacklisting the Lazarus hacking group, according to a draft resolution reviewed by Reuters.

South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, a conservative who is set to take office on May 10, has called for stronger ties with the United States to deter the North.

His nominee for unification minister, who handles relations with the North, said on Thursday a Yoon administration might look "hardline" and "hawkish" as it sought to build up its military capability to better deter North Korean threats but he would work to create momentum for dialogue to defuse tensions//CNA

Illustration - Solar power plant installation developed by Pertamina NRE. (ANTARA/HO-Pertamina) - 

The Indonesian government can benefit from its G20 presidency to increase domestic renewable energy capacity in order to achieve the net emission target in 2060 or sooner.

The topic of energy transition proposed by Indonesia offers a strategic opportunity to the country to build communication with leaders of other countries regarding the future of clean energy, Clean, Affordable, and Secure Energy Project Manager IESR Agus Praditya Tampubolon stated during a discussion held here on Thursday.

"With Indonesia declaring (energy transition) as a priority issue, this will allow (the country) to set a new target and policy, so that Indonesia will find it easier to negotiate with G20 leaders on technical and funding assistance," he noted.

Since Indonesia holds the G20 presidency, other G20 member states should support its policy that serves as a common policy, he affirmed.

Referring to the net emission target and coal elimination treaty, it is quite appropriate for the G20 Energy Transition Working Group (ETWG) to make priority issues in the form of accessibility, technology, and funding, he stated.

At the end of March 2022, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry kicked off an ETWG session as part of Indonesia's G20 presidency in Yogyakarta.

The main discussion of energy access is creating affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all countries, especially related to clean electrification and cooking.

Meanwhile, the discussion of the priority issue related to technology will focus on ways to increase and utilize technology for clean industry development, renewable energy integration, and energy efficiency.

Indonesia will encourage developed nations to finance and invest in various innovation projects to develop renewable energy and will appeal to them to fulfill their pledge to provide US$100 billion to deal with the impacts of climate change//ANT