Global News Podcast - The Indonesian government appears to shelve controversial election law plans

Episode Date: August 22, 2024

The Indonesian parliament appears to drop controversial plans to change the election laws, as protests took place in cities across the country. The authorities used water cannon after some demonstrators tried to tear down the gates of the parliament complex. Also, Tim Walz speaks to the Democratic National Congress in Chicago after formally accepting the Democratic nomination to run for US vice president and, one of the world's largest diamonds has been unearthed in Botswana.

Hello, this is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service, with reports and analysis from across the world. The latest news seven days a week. BBC World Service podcasts are supported by advertising. If you're hearing this, you're probably already listening to BBC's award-winning news podcasts. But did you know that you can listen to them without ads? Get current affairs podcasts like Thank you. Amazon Music with a Prime membership. Spend less time on ads and more time with BBC podcasts. This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Janet Jalil and at 13 hours GMT on Thursday the 22nd of August, these are our main stories. The Indonesian government appears to have dropped plans to pass a controversial election law which critics said was designed to strengthen President Joko Widodo's influence.

The US Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz introduces himself to Americans as he goes on the attack against Republicans. The new boss of Starbucks is facing criticism after it was revealed that he's been offered a corporate jet to commute to work. Also in this podcast, the second biggest diamond ever found is unearthed in Botswana. The Indonesian parliament has shelved controversial plans to change the election laws after tens of thousands of people took to the streets in cities across the country to protest. The demonstrators were angered by what they saw as an attempt to strengthen the influence of the outgoing president, Joko Widodo, who's due to leave office in October. Such was the strength of feeling that some protesters tried to tear down the gates of parliament in the capital Jakarta only for police to use water cannon on them. Shortly before we recorded this podcast, our correspondent Nick Marsh told us it appeared that the protesters had succeeded in making Parliament back down. It does seem like this very controversial law change has been dropped by the Parliament at least until the end of this parliamentary session.

So there's no prospect of this legislation resurfacing until after the current President joker widodo steps down in october so quite an interesting development that's on pause basically in terms of the the actual protests yeah i mean there was at least a thousand in jakarta hundreds in other cities across java which is indonesia's main most populous island um there were some people trying to tear down the gates of the parliament complex in Jakarta, that we saw images of tear gas, of water cannon and so on, and small skirmishes, like you say, between security forces and the demonstrators. Let's see if that continues now, if things are starting to abate and whether we'll see the same tomorrow. Presumably not, because this legislation, like I said, has just been put on pause. So tell us about this legislation and why it provoked such an outcry. It's a bit complex.

I'll try and simplify as much as I can. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court, the top court, ruled that the current electoral rules in Indonesia unfairly keep out candidates from smaller parties, because to fill the candidate for a local election, you already need to have 20% of that local parliament filled with your MPs. So that obviously favours the status quo, and we were actually set to see a bunch of uncontested elections across Indonesia. But the court said, no, these smaller parties should be allowed to field candidates, even if they've only got a handful of representatives. Now, the parliament didn't like that.

One of the main reasons, the Parliament, which is filled with the ruling coalition, was that there was a pretty strong vocal critic of the government who was going for Mayor of Jakarta. Now, under the current rules, the ones that the Supreme Court wants to change, he would be barred from standing. So within 24 hours, the parliament drafted some emergency legislation. They were getting ready to ratify it today to basically maintain the status quo. And there was also some room for interpretation in terms of the current president's son being allowed to run as well.

So these two key figures involved in the controversy. Now, though, it seems that they have put this on pause. You would assume that has something to do with the thousands of people outside their gates protesting today. Nick Marsh in Singapore. As we record this podcast, the four day extravaganza that is this year's Democratic National Convention will soon culminate in Kamala Harris giving a high-stakes speech in front of a primetime television audience, just a month after she was catapulted into the race to become US president. Despite being vice president for the past three and a half years, for many Americans, she's still a relatively unknown quantity. Even less known is the man she's picked to be her running mate, the Midwestern politician Tim Walz. He gave a widely praised

speech at the convention, introducing himself to the nation as a teacher, a coach and a veteran, who was proud of his small town upbringing, alongside more famous names such as Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. Emma Vardy reports from the convention in Chicago. A TV icon was a surprise late addition. Oprah Winfrey famously used her huge profile to support Barack Obama in 2008. Now she was back. We're now so fired up. We can't wait to leave here and do something. But this was her first time addressing a democratic convention. There are people who want you to see our country as a nation of us against them,

people who seek first to divide and then to conquer. But here's the thing, when we stand together, it is impossible to conquer. But here's the thing. When we stand together, it is impossible to conquer us. Thank you. And when the man chosen by Kamala Harris as her VP, but characterised as America's dad, took to the stage, hundreds of signs held by delegates

simply said, Coach Walls. Tim Walls reflected on his life and career from a small town as a veteran, a coach and at a school. So there I was, a 40-something high school teacher with little kids, zero political experience and no money running in a deep red district. But you know what? Never underestimate a deep red district. But you know what? Never underestimate a public school teacher. And issued a warning about another Donald Trump presidency. When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook,

they're going to use it. And we know if these guys get back in the White House, they'll start jacking up the costs on the middle class. They'll repeal the Affordable Care Act. And they will ban abortion across this country with or without Congress. The mother of dragons, please welcome Nancy Pelosi. There's been speculation when it comes to Nancy Pelosi's seemingly strained relationship with the president, since the Democrat, now dubbed the godmother,

was a key player in getting Joe Biden to step aside. But her speech took aim at Donald Trump's role in the January 6th riots, as protesters breached the Capitol, or she had to find shelter from the violence inside. Let us not forget who assaulted democracy on January 6th. He did. But let us not forget who saved democracy that day. We did. And also addressing the convention, another grandee of the party. Two days ago, I turned 78. And the only personal vanity I want to assert is I'm still younger than Donald Trump. Bill Clinton told delegates Donald Trump was out for himself.

So the next time you hear him, don't count the lies. Count the eyes. When Kamala Harris is president, every day will begin with you, you, you, you. Stevie Wonder took to the podium, then the piano. The night will be remembered for pairing high-profile celebrity power with down-to-earth appeal of Tim Walz, a combination that Democrats are confident is working. For that report by Emma Vardy.

The violence continues unabated in Gaza despite the latest intense US-led diplomatic efforts. More than 40 people are reported to have been killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza in the past day, among them children. In the occupied West Bank, three people are reported to have been killed in an Israeli strike on a home. And after Israeli warplanes struck deep inside Lebanon, reportedly killing one person and wounding 30 others. Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets at Israel and the occupied Golan Heights. Meanwhile, President Biden, in a phone call with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has talked about the urgent need for a ceasefire for hostages deal. I got more on all this with our Middle East correspondent Yolande Nell, starting with the latest Israeli attacks on Gaza. The Israeli military has made some comments about that,

saying that overnight it also hit what it says was a weapons facility in Gaza City adjacent to the school that was previously hit, which it has identified as a Hamas command centre. But certainly Palestinian witnesses told journalists that children were among the casualties of that strike on a school, the latest in a series of schools, which have been used by displaced people as shelters that has been hit in the past month or so. The latest statement from the Israeli military also talks about eliminating what it says are over 50 terrorists in the past day and hitting sites belonging to armed groups, including in Rafah in the very south in Cheyenne Yunis in the south and in Deir el-Balak in the centre of the Gaza Strip. We've been hearing

from Palestinian medics that there were civilians in those different locations as well who were among those killed and wounded. This morning, the Palestinian news agency Wafa saying that 11 people have been killed in Betlachia in the very north of the Gaza Strip in a strike on a residential building. And there have also been these intense exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon at the same time. Yeah, we've had in the past couple of days really some of the most intense sort of barrages of rockets coming from Hezbollah and many strikes by the Israeli military. Overnight, the Israeli military says it hit 10 Hezbollah targets in the south of Lebanon, including military warehouses and a launch pad.

It's very much in the Israeli headlines this morning about the fact about 50 rockets were fired at an Israeli settlement in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights yesterday. This being noted, it's a civilian community, not just a military installation. And these intense exchanges of fire just add to the sense to know that there could be an all-out war, that could be the direction we're heading in. And remember that there are tens of thousands of people, Israeli and Lebanese civilians, who are displaced on both sides of the border by this ongoing fighting. So it does seem that despite those intense diplomatic efforts by Antony Blinken in the past few days, holding talks with Israeli leaders, holding talks with the leaders in Egypt and Qatar, that hopes of a ceasefire may be fading, actually, because there doesn't seem to be any kind of

breakthrough. No signs of a breakthrough. And indeed, you know, the assessment seems to be looking at the media from different parts of the region, that the chances are slim of getting a breakthrough in upcoming talks in Cairo involving the US and Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators. But, you know, we had the US President Joe Biden pressing the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in this call with the Vice President Kamala Harris, importantly, joining in as well, really stressing the urgency of sealing a Gaza ceasefire

and hostage release deal and saying that these talks coming up in Cairo are crucial to remove remaining obstacles. But, I mean, the signs are that this bridging proposal that the US has put forward has not closed the gap between the two sides. Last night, the Israeli Prime Minister's office put out a statement, it reiterated that Israel would remain in this strategically important Gaza-Egypt border area, known as the Philadelphia Corridor. That's really become a main sticking point, it seems, in the talks between the two sides. Yolande Nell in Jerusalem. The country of Lesotho is completely surrounded by South Africa.

Despite its relatively small size, it has something its neighbour lacks, large amounts of fresh water. Since a deal was signed in 1986, Lesotho has helped keep South African taps running with the biggest water transfer scheme in Africa. Water is captured in a dam and then transported over the border. But that's left many people in Lesotho itself struggling to survive, as Andre Lombard reports. It appears shimmering and gleaming as we round a bend in the mountains. An engineering marvel completely at odds with the rural countryside of mud huts and shepherds around it. The Katsi Dam holds around 2 billion cubic metres of water. It's the second biggest curved dam in Africa, in one of the continent's smallest countries.

It contains what Lesotho calls its white gold. The water which sells the neighbouring South Africa for $200 million a year. Lesotho might be water rich, but the villagers around the dam don't share that wealth. We're on our way to Haaramukatsi village, a kilometre from the dam, where we're told water insecurity is rife. So we've been here for about half an hour now and if you can't hear the sound of running water behind me that's because the source which is a spring in a sort of cave on the hillside has run dry for now. People said they got here from 3am. Those who did were lucky enough to carry water back to their houses but others who arrived from five

which is four or five hours ago now are going to have to wait until it starts again others are picking water out of a dirty puddle which is full of rubbish and litter and they tell me often it's quite polluted from up the hill people are saying also that regularly this causes upset stomachs and other illnesses as well at the spring we meet manta bohaleng the 50 yearold says she can see the dam from her front window. But now she is scooping out water from a puddle at the foot of the dry spring. The water shortage situation here is terrible. Sometimes when it rains, a dead dog can be washed into the spring. We have to just take it out as we need the water even if

it's contaminated. Sometimes when you come to the water you see little worms but you still have to drink it because there's no way we can survive without it. I'm heading to the capital Mesiru to meet the Minister for Natural Resources, Mahlomi Maleko. Our main objective is going to be going forward to give water to Basutu and then secondly do the water transfer and now we have to look at the provision of water to the locals by 2030. That's what we're going to be looking at. Demand is very likely to increase for Lesotho. A deal has been signed with Botswana, 700 kilometers away, to pump water there. Lesotho will have to find a way of monetising one of its biggest natural assets whilst taking care of the basic needs of its people.

That report by Andre Lombard. It's the biggest diamond that's ever been found except for one unearthed more than a century ago. The massive diamond of nearly two and a half thousand carats was discovered in a mine in Botswana, not that much smaller than the world's largest, which was more than 3,000 carats and was found in South Africa nearly 120 years ago. Shortly before we recorded this podcast, I asked our Africa regional editor, Will Ross, if we knew what this new discovery looked like yet. We haven't yet seen a picture, but the president

of the country, President Massisi, is supposed to be the first person to have a look at it, and we expect it to be, you know, possibly about the kind of size of a tennis ball, that kind of size. But we don't yet know about its quality. But as you say, the biggest since that Cullinan diamond was found back in 1905, And that one was sort of 10 centimetres long by six centimetres, that kind of size, so a significant size. Yes, staggeringly big. So tell us, how was this enormous diamond found? So this was a Canadian firm called Lucara working up in the northeast of Botswana. And it says that basically it found this huge diamond thanks to x-ray technology that it's using. And it started deploying these

machines in their minds a few years ago, basically to stop the ore from being crushed through these huge machines before they've actually knowing what's in it. So this is an x-ray that's done to try and identify the large rough diamonds before they go actually knowing what's in it. So this is an x-ray that's done to try and identify the large rough diamonds before they go through this machinery. And that's why we've been seeing more larger diamonds being discovered in recent years, is it? It seems so, yeah. It seems that in recent years there have been quite a lot of large diamonds that have been found sort of compared to years before. So it's being put down to that. And tell us about Botswana's diamond industry, because in some places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, the discovery of precious gems has been a curse.

Yeah, it's had an extraordinary history, really. A former British protectorate that got independence in 1966, it then found its first diamond just months after that, which was a huge piece of luck. And they're deep underground, so easier to control in that they're not lying near the surface in mud. And the country has used the money from the diamond industry to help develop it. It's still a relatively poor country, but it's used the money fairly well and has put a lot of money aside. Will Ross. Still to come in this podcast, we'll tell you about one half of a world-famous gay penguin couple who's died leaving behind his partner.

If you're hearing this, you're probably already listening to BBC's award-winning news podcasts. But did you know that you can listen to them without ads? Get current affairs podcasts like Global News, AmeriCast and The Global Story, plus other great BBC podcasts from history to comedy to true crime, all ad free. Simply subscribe to BBC Podcast Premium on Apple Podcasts or listen to Amazon Music with a Prime membership. Spend less time on ads and more time with BBC Podcasts. You're listening to the Global News Podcast. Since the start of the war in Ukraine,

Germany has become one of Kiev's staunchest allies, supplying many billions of dollars of military aid. But now, after allegations that this support is wavering, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has had to defend his country's commitment to Ukraine as it fights off Russia. More from our Berlin correspondent Jessica Parker. Berlin's come under fire this week after reports emerged of a freeze on extra military cash for Kiev that goes beyond already approved funds. Government sources insist the matter's still under discussion but the news comes as this year's allocation of more than 7 billion euros is already set to nearly halve next year as the fractious coalition government seeks savings. Speaking in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, Chancellor

Scholz insisted his country would continue to be Ukraine's biggest supporter in Europe. Germany will not decrease its support for Ukraine. We will support Ukraine for as long as it is necessary. And we will be the biggest national supporter of Ukraine in Europe. He also pointed to the G7 plan of using frozen Russian assets to raise 50 billion dollars for Kyiv. But that scheme has yet to be finalised, while Germany, once again, is facing accusations of failing to sufficiently step up on European security. Jessica Parker. Meanwhile, the UN says Ukraine is breaking international law in the way it prosecutes people accused of collaborating with Russia. Since the full-scale invasion

more than two years ago, there have been roughly 1,800 convictions ranging from leaking military secrets to simply justifying the invasion online. Our Ukraine correspondent, James Waterhouse, has gained access to a prison in the east of the country to speak to a convicted collaborator. So we've just moved through the heavy front porch, through two big metal gates, and now we've gone through another fence. And this is the unit where 62 out of the 428 inmates are held, and these are the women convicted of collaborating with the Russians.

Led out of the cell is Tetyana Potapenko. She's serving a five-year sentence for collaboration. I don't deserve to be here at all. When Russian forces took control of the hometown of Liman in 2022, she was a neighborhood volunteer. She continued her role under occupation, liaising with officials to help the locals. We ran out of food. There was no water. Someone had to ask for help for our people.

After liberation six months later, prosecutors accused Tatiana of taking an official job with the occupying authority, which is illegal. Dimitro in his workshop. He used to be an electrician, but is now a mechanic. Under Liman's new Russian rulers, he volunteered and took charge of restoring electricity in the town. The Russians said I had to work for them or not at all. There were many armed men around. I was afraid they would punish me and my family.

He was arrested when Liman was liberated. After admitting to helping the Russians, Dimitrov was handed a suspended sentence and banned from working as an electrician. I cannot be judged in the same way as collaborators who help guide missiles. The tragedy in the eastern village of Hrozar last year was a striking example of how collaboration hurts Ukraine. The walls have been blown away and it is here where there was a funeral wake taking place yesterday for a Ukrainian soldier. We were there shortly after. 59 people, nearly a quarter of the village, were killed by a missile. Ukraine's security service soon revealed two local brothers had tipped off the Russians.

They both fled across the border when the village was liberated. Ukraine quickly drafted legislation to make collaboration a crime soon after the invasion. But many of those who commit more serious offences are tried in absentia. Critics of the law include the United Nations. Here's Danielle Bell from its monitoring mission. There have been crimes that have been carried out in occupied territory and people need to be held accountable. But at the same time, there have been a number of instances where the law has been applied unfairly, including against people for carrying out acts which could lawfully be compelled by the occupying authority. I strongly disagree that this legislation is a breach of international law.

The blunt response from Andriy Usadchuk, one of the MPs who drafted the collaboration law. The consequences for such individuals shall be extremely tough because we are talking about life and death. What about those who act under duress, might be saying what they need to, to just survive? The law is pretty much clear,

saying that collaboration is a crime if you do it voluntarily. But I agree that these legislation require improvements. For now, this collaboration law is seen as necessary for tough justice, if it means Ukraine can be free of Russia's grasp. That report by James Waterhouse. The newly announced boss of Starbucks has come under fire after it emerged that he's allowed to use a corporate jet for his marathon commute. Brian Nicol lives in California, about 1,600 kilometres from the coffee chain's headquarters in Seattle. Emma Simpson reports. Starbucks' new CEO could net more than $100 million with his new job.

But there's another perk. Brian Nicol doesn't have to relocate. Instead, he'll get a small remote office near his current home and the use of a company jet to take him to his new HQ when needed. The news has prompted a backlash on social media, with critics accusing the company of hypocrisy, given its public stance on green issues. The company also has a hybrid work policy, which means staff need to be in the office at least three days a week.

Emma Simpson. Cambodia has officially welcomed the return of 70 ancient statues from collections in the United States. Most of the Buddhist and Hindu stone carvings were stolen and illegally exported after the takeover by the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. With more details, here's Charles Havilland. At a ceremony in Phnom Penh, the Prime Minister, Hun Manet, said the restoration of these 70 artefacts meant that the souls of Cambodia's ancestors were being brought back. They were invaluable, he said, part of the national cultural heritage.

They include statues of Hindu deities such as Shiva and Parvati and of a warrior from the Mahabharata epic. During the Civil War and the Khmer Rouge genocide, thousands of antiques were looted and sold to wealthy buyers and museums in the West. Cambodia hopes these voluntary returns will continue. Charles Haverland. It was a love story that captivated the world, but now there have been emotional scenes at a zoo in Sydney

as penguins and humans mourn the passing of Sven the penguin, one half of what many half-jokingly refer to as a gay power couple. Sven and his partner Magic gained global fame after staff at Sydney Zoo noticed them nesting together and gave them an egg to incubate. Stephanie Prentice has this report. Penguins may not be known for their agility, but one managed to make a giant leap for gay rights for penguins in his 12-year lifetime. Sven, the Gentoo penguin, met his partner Magic in Sydney Aquarium back in 2018 after a courtship involving exchanges of particularly shiny pebbles. The pair became inseparable and began nesting together,

and after staff gave them an egg and watched them take turns incubating it, they were allowed to adopt and raise two chicks. The romance in spite of float in Sydney's world-famous Mardi Gras gay and lesbian parade has been referenced in Australia's education syllabus and even featured in the Netflix series Atypical. When Sven's health began to falter this month, staff were concerned. He was 12 and Gentoo penguins have a lifespan of 12 to 13 years. When he passed, seemingly of natural causes, the team at Sydney Zoo wanted Magic to understand that his mate wouldn't be coming back,

amid fears he may keep searching for him. Typically, gentoo penguins call for a mate like this. But staff at the zoo say upon seeing Sven's body, Magic began mournfully singing, and the 45-strong penguin colony joined in. Magic then became very protective of the body. The aquarium's manager described the scene as heartbreaking, but other team members have taken comfort in the pair's impact as a worldwide symbol of equality, calling it immeasurable. The focus now, they say, is on looking after Magic,

who is entering his first breeding season without his partner, sad but still collecting pebbles for a nest which the team are taking as a promising sign. That report by Stephanie Prentice. And that's all from us for now, but there will be a new edition of the Global News Podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcasts at bbc.co.uk. You can also find us on X at Global News Pod. This edition was mixed by Johnny Hall. The producer was Stephanie Tillotson.

The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janet Jalil. Until next time, goodbye. without ads. Get current affairs podcasts like Global News, AmeriCast and The Global Story plus other great BBC podcasts from history to comedy to true crime all ad free. Simply subscribe to BBC Podcast Premium on Apple Podcasts or listen

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