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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/asia-pacific/40024349

Indonesia to accelerate oil and gas exploration amid high prices

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Publicly listed mining firm PT Merdeka Copper Gold has allocated capital expenditure (capex) of Rp 2.28 trillion (US$160 million) for the exploration of work in East Java, Maluku and Gorontaro provinces.

Corporate secretary Adi Adriansyah Sjoekri revealed the projects were gold and silver mining in Tujuh Bukit, East Java; copper mining in Wetar Island, West Maluku; and gold mining in Gorontalo.

“All of the expansion projects will be completed this year so that they will optimally contribute to the company’s performance soon,” said Adi, recently.

Merdeka’s gold production in 2018 grew by 17.57 % to 167,506 ounces from 142,468 ounces in 2017. It targeted to increase its gold production to between 180,000 and 200,000 ounces of gold by the end of 2019.

“Up to the first quarter of this year, our company has produced 46,515 ounces of gold,” Adi said, adding that the average price of gold in 2018 was $1,269 per ounce, or 0.89 % higher than the $1,257 per ounce average price in 2017.

Apart from exploring new blocks, Adi said the company was also in the process of expanding the existing mining in Tujuh Bukit, East Java. 

The Jakarta Post

Asia News Network

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Japanese government set to legalize medical marijuana

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

The government is poised to allow the use of medical marijuana to treat patients with intractable diseases, according to the outline of bills revealed on Tuesday.

The government is considering submitting bills including one to revise the Cannabis Control Law during the current Diet session.

The proposed revision would also criminalize the use of marijuana.

In countries including the United States and Britain, medicine made from cannabis plants is used to treat patients with intractable epilepsy and other diseases for which existing drugs are ineffective.

Cannabis plants contain a substance that has an intoxicating effect, which is one of the reasons why the use of marijuana in medicine is prohibited in Japan. The proposed revision would enable such patients to use drugs made from cannabis plants.

The use of marijuana, there are currently no penalties for using it because farmers who cultivate cannabis with permission from prefectural governors might intake substances from the plant during harvesting.

Marijuana has been dubbed a “gateway drug” as it is said to lead to other forms of drug abuse. The government intends to strengthen the crackdown on marijuana to prevent abuse of the drug among young people, which is becoming a social problem.

The Japan News

Asia News Network

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/world/europe/40024347

‘Sea change’ in Germany’s relationships with its neighbours – analyst on Ukraine tank decision

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Germany said on Wednesday it would supply its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, overcoming misgivings about sending heavy weaponry that Kyiv sees as crucial to defeat Russia’s invasion but Moscow casts as a dangerous provocation.

“The fact that the Germans were finally willing to supply the Ukrainians with these tanks really does show that this is a sea change in the way that Germany views its relationship with Russia and with Russia’s neighbours, and also, I would say, with, with Central and Eastern Europe,” said Angela Stent, Georgetown University Professor Emerita and author of “Putin’s World: Russia against the West and with the Rest.”

Pressure has been building for weeks on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz‘s government to send the tanks and allows Nato allies to do the same before expected spring offensives by both sides.

Scholz’s government had stalled, wary of moves that could prompt Russia to escalate the war or draw Nato into becoming a party to the conflict.

Germany’s decision paves the way for other countries such as Poland, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands and Norway to supply some of their Leopard tanks to Ukraine, going some way towards delivering the hundreds of tanks that Ukraine says it needs.

“If you look at the past year of the war, at every step there’s been a reluctance to supply, you know, more advanced weaponry to Ukraine because of the fear of Russian escalation of the Russian reaction,” Stent said. “Yet, slowly but surely, all of these constraints have vanished.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Scholz for Germany’s “important and timely decisions,” saying they were a “green light for partners to supply similar weapons.”

Germany aims to quickly establish two battalions with Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine and initially provide 14 Leopard 2 tanks from its own inventory.

A battalion normally comprises three or four companies with around 14 tanks each. Poland has also pledged 14 tanks and Britain has promised 14 of its own Challengers.

Germany’s tanks would probably be ready in three-four months, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said.

Training of Ukrainian troops in Germany will begin soon, and Germany will also provide logistics and ammunition. Germany said it would also issue the appropriate transfer permits to partner countries that want to deliver Leopard 2 tanks quickly from their own stocks.

Reuters

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https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/world/asia-pacific/40024345

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2023

Check out what’s hot in the region as The Nation puts together headlines from members of Asia News Network (ANN). Click to read more:

ANN news highlights: Wed, Jan 25, 2023
Bringing Asia Closer

Freezing Asia
S Korea
Siberian cold wave sweeps S. Korea – Korea Herald

Japan
Japan Authorities Warn of Health, Traffic Dangers Amid Severe Cold Spell – The Japan News

China
Lowest temperature recorded in China’s northernmost city – China Daily

HK
Mercury to drop to around 10°C on Wednesday | China Daily

Nepal
Mountain districts of Karnali, Sudurpaschim witness snowfall – Kathmandu Post

Vietnam
Strong cold spell hits northern region, to last through Lunar New Year holiday – Vietnam News

Oscar Malaysia
Michelle Yeoh nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars; first Malaysian to achieve such feat | The Star

Oscar Philippines
Dolly de Leon misses out on Best Supporting Actress nomination at 95th Academy Awards – Inquirer

Electricity Pakistan
Widespread outages persist despite govt’s claim of ‘fully restoring’ power – Dawn

Media Japan
The Japan News wants to Hear from You – The Japan News

Gov’t Philippines
Opinion: Moderating foreign travels | Inquirer

Politics Indonesia
Editorial: New Zealand story – Jakarta Post

Crisis Sri Lanka
China offers debt aid to crisis-hit Sri Lanka | Reuters for The Daily Star

Forex Pakistan
Exchange companies to remove cap on dollar rate from tomorrow – Dawn

Robotics S Korea
Will Samsung, Hyundai clash over robots? – Korea Herald

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https://www.nationthailand.com/world/us-canada/40024317

Classified documents found at former US Vice President Pence’s home

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2023

Documents marked as classified were discovered at former US Vice President Mike Pence’s Indiana home last week, and he has turned those classified records over to the FBI, his attorney said in letters seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The attorney, Greg Jacob, sent a letter to the National Archives on Jan. 18 notifying them of the documents and in a separate letter on Jan. 22 notified the Archives that the FBI came to the former vice president’s home to collect them.

The discovery puts Pence in the company of his former boss, former President Donald Trump, and President Joe Biden after documents with classified markings were found at their residences.

Jacob said in the letter dated Jan. 18 to the National Archives that “out of an abundance of caution” Pence had engaged outside counsel to review records stored in his home after reports about the materials found at Biden’s residence.

“Counsel identified a small number of documents that could potentially contain sensitive or classified information interspersed throughout the records,” Jacob wrote in the letter.

“Vice President Pence immediately secured those documents in a locked safe pending further direction on proper handling from the National Archives,” he said. Pence’s counsel did not review the contents of the documents once they were determined to be marked classified, the letter said.

In a separate letter dated Jan. 22, Jacob said the Justice Department “bypassed the standard procedures and requested direct possession” of the documents at Pence’s residence.

With agreement by the former vice president, FBI agents came to his Indiana home at 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 19 to collect the documents stored in the safe, Jacob said.

Biden, whose documents dated from his time as vice president, and Trump, who resisted turning over the items, leading to an FBI raid, are both facing special counsel investigations by the Justice Department over improper handling of classified materials.

During a presidential transition period, the records from each administration are supposed to be turned over to the legal custody of the US National Archives. It is unlawful to knowingly or willfully remove or retain classified material. Failure to properly store and secure classified material poses risks to national security if it should fall into the wrong hands.

Reuters

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US poised to approve sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2023

The United States, in a reversal, is poised to start a process that would eventually send dozens of M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, two US officials told Reuters on Tuesday.

Such a decision by the United States would come just days after Washington argued against sending the Abrams, despite demands from Kyiv and public pressure from Berlin as it faced calls to send German-made Leopard battle tanks.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an announcement could come as early as Wednesday. A third source familiar with the matter said the US commitment could total about 30 Abrams tanks to be delivered over the coming months.

The two officials said the Abrams would likely be procured through a fund known as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which allows President Joe Biden’s administration to get weapons from industry rather than from existing US weapons stocks.

One of the officials said it was possible the Biden administration could use the USAI process to buy the Abrams from allies who have them, refurbish them, and then send them to Ukraine.

The process can take months and even years.

The United States and its allies failed during talks in Germany last week to convince Berlin to provide its Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine, a key demand from Kyiv as it tries to breathe new momentum into its fight against Russian forces.

Ukraine says heavily armoured Western battle tanks would give its troops more mobility and protection ahead of a new Russian offensive that Kyiv expects in the near future. They could also help Ukraine retake some of the territories that have fallen to Russia.

US officials had said that the Abrams were tough to maintain, hard to train Ukrainians to operate, and ran on jet fuel — making it a poor choice for this phase of the war.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon declined to say whether Washington would provide tanks to Ukraine but reiterated the challenges the Abrams posed.

While eventually backtracking, Berlin had said it would only send the Leopard tanks to Ukraine if the United States agreed to send its own tanks.

The disclosure about the softening US position came the same day sources said that Germany would send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine to help fight Russia’s invasion and allow other countries such as Poland to do the same.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz‘s Social Democrat party had been holding back, wary of moves that could cause Moscow to escalate further.

Reuters

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Chris Hipkins sworn in as New Zealand’s Prime Minister

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2023

Labour leader Chris Hipkins was sworn in as New Zealand’s prime minister in a formal ceremony on Wednesday, following the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week.

Hipkins, 44, and his deputy Carmel Sepuloni – the first person of Pacific Islander descent to hold the role – were sworn in by New Zealand Governor-General Cindy Kiro, in a ceremony lasting a few minutes.

Before the ceremony, outgoing New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern left parliament for the last time as prime minister of the nation on Wednesday amidst applause and hugs from those waiting to say farewell.

Ardern walked out of the New Zealand parliament building, affectionately known as the Beehive, with partner Clarke Gayford.

When asked by local media how he felt, Gayford replied “relieved.”

The Labour party elected former Covid-19 Response, Police, education and public service minister as well as the leader of the House to lead the party and the country on Sunday (January 22). This comes after the surprise resignation of Ardern, 42, who said she had “no more in the tank” to lead the country.

Hipkins, who has so far refused to comment on his policies since being elected leader, will hold his first cabinet meeting later on Wednesday.

First elected to parliament for the Labour Party in 2008, the 44-year-old Hipkins became a household name fronting the government’s response to the pandemic after being appointed minister for Covid-19 in November 2020.

A general election will be held on Oct. 14, with some opinion polls showing Labour will struggle to hold on to power.

Abroad, Ardern was a global icon for left-leaning politics and women in leadership, but domestically she has struggled to connect with rural New Zealand resulting in her and her party’s popularity plummeting after five and a half years marked by upheavals such as Covid, a massacre of Muslims by a white supremacist and a deadly volcano.

The government has pursued a number of new legislations aimed at improving environmental outcomes including bills to reduce animal waste and fertilizer polluting waterways, changes to the leases farmers have for High Country stations and an overhaul of water infrastructure across the country and most recently the announcement that New Zealand farmers will have to pay for agricultural emissions from 2025.

“This emissions tax, you know, the ‘fart tax’ it’s going to mean, like all these cattle here, it’s going to be three hundred and thirty dollars per head. So on a farm like this, it’s about a hundred and thirty, hundred and forty thousand a year extra tax farmers are going to have to find,” said farmer and Auckland representative of Groundswell NZ, Scotty Bright on Saturday (January 21)

“It appeared that they (Labour) are in their own bubble and they didn’t really know the facts of what the farmers deal with on a daily basis,” added Bright.

Farm lobby group Groundswell NZ was founded by two rural farmers, aiming to empower rural voices, stand up against unworkable regulations and policies and seek solutions to environmental concerns.

New Zealand farmers are some of the most efficient in the world. They receive minimal agricultural subsidies but continue to be able to compete with farmers in the likes of the United States due to good farming practices, good farmland and a climate that allows for all-year pastoral farming.