Indonesia News

Trial For Marriage Law Revision 6 Months Delayed
Two out of three women who petitioned for lawmakers to increase the legal minimum age for girls to marry from 16 to 19 in April have signed a letter to the Constitutional Court today, protesting trial delays. The Court has only held two trials on the matter so far, one in May and another in June. The longer the Court waits, the more harmful it is for girls in Indonesia, where child brides are common. —Kompas

Indonesia to Turn Its Islands Into Army Bases
The Indonesian Army (TNI) is planning to build army bases in three of Indonesia’s outmost islands—Natuna, Bitung, and Selaru. These facilities are hoped to improve Indonesia’s border security. A TNI official said that the central government has approved this project, though the budget remains unknown. —Katadata

New Species of Rafflesia Found In Sumatra
A new species of the world’s largest flowers has been found in Norrthern Bengkulu in Sumatra. Rafflesia kemumu is the world’s 31st Rafflesia, and Indonesia’s 15th. The flowers of Rafflesia kemumu can reach 38-44 centimeters in diameter. —Mongabay

Indonesian Province to Outlaw ‘Sexy Clothing’ to Combat Harassment
The provincial government (DPRD) in Bengkulu, Sumatra has a solution for the the high number of harassment cases toward girls and women: making “sexy clothing” illegal. Seven out of eight political parties in the DPRD have shown support for this proposed legislation. It’s still unclear what they mean by “sexy clothing.” —Rakyat Bengkulu

International News

American Rearrested in Bali After Prison Escape
Cristian Beasley was recaptured in an alley near a Lombok beach yesterday after escaping from Bali’s Kerobokan prison last week, officials said. He’s believed to have escaped from the prison, which holds a lot of foreigners facing drug-related charges, by cutting the bars in the ceiling of his cell and scaling the wall of the prison. —Reuters/ Chicago Tribune

Tropical Storm in Philippines Kills 30, Sends 89,000 To Shelters
More than 30 people were killed and many others missing as Tropical Storm Kai-Tak caused floods and landslides in central Philippines. The slow-moving storm left many travelers are stranded, and almost 90,000 people have fled to emergency shelters. —The New York Times

Two Couples Tied the Knot in Australia’s First Same-Sex Weddings
Last Saturday, two couples in Sydney and Melbourne exchanged vows under new legislation which allows same-sex marriage in Australia. The couples wed weeks early than the expected first date for same-sex marriages, Jan. 9, because of the four-week waiting period since the law was passed earlier this month. But they were given permission to waive the notice period since their families had flown in from overseas. —TIME

Thousands Watch as 10 People Sentenced to Death in a Stadium in China
Ten people who were sentenced to death for drug-related crimes were executed before a packed sports stadium over the weekend in China’s southern Guangdong province. Thousands showed up for the execution, including children. A similar sentencing took place in the same stadium just six months ago. —South China Morning Post

Everything Else

What Happened to Streetwear In 2017?

An investigation into how streetwear turned into fashion’s most lucrative subculture. —VICE

The Way You Walk May Reveal How Aggressive You Are

Researchers in the UK found that how you walk says more about your personality than you might think. —VICE

The Filmmaker Literally Taking Us to the Top of the World

We caught up with director Jennifer Peedom before the released of her new documentary Mountain, about, well, mountains and the people who climb them. —VICE

This Engineer Is Building a DIY Mars Habitat In His Backyard

Jeff Raymond and his wife has spent around $200,000 USD on the self-sustaining “Mars habitat” in their backyard. The goal? To create a replicable habitat that can be used by communities around the world for local, sustainable agriculture. —VICE