Nusantara's government office zone scheduled for June 2025 completion

  The development of an area dedicated to governmental offices in Indonesia's new capital city, Nusantara (IKN), in East Kalimantan Province is targeted for completion by June this year, according to the IKN Authority (OIKN).

In a press release received by ANTARA in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, on Wednesday, OIKN Secretary Bimo Adi Nursanthyasto stated that this area encompasses palaces, as well as the headquarters of coordinating ministries and the State Secretariat Ministry.

He emphasized that various supporting facilities and infrastructure, such as minimarkets, restaurants, ATMs, vending machines, and post offices, have been established to support this office zone.

Nursanthyasto explained that the government considers these supporting facilities and infrastructure essential, as Nusantara City is envisioned as an integrated center for administrative and economic activities.

Hence, he affirmed that the government has prioritized the development of an ecosystem that ensures civil servants have easy access to their offices and residences, transportation hubs, and other critical infrastructure.

He also highlighted that the palace complex, which includes the State Palace, Garuda Palace, Presidential Secretariat Office, and ceremony grounds, is already operational and equipped with supporting structures.

The official further noted that the complex for coordinating ministries is designed to accommodate up to 9,465 government employees.

Regarding residences for civil servants, he highlighted the availability of 36 homes for ministers, 17 towers of civil servant flats, five residential towers for presidential guards, two towers for police officers, and two towers for State Intelligence Agency (BIN) officials.

Nursanthyasto stated that by 2028, the number of residences is expected to increase significantly, with the capacity to house 13,810 state apparatuses.

Concerning OIKN officials, he emphasized that they began working full-time in the future capital city in March 2025 and are required to commute using electric buses.

"We OIKN officials use electric feeder buses to travel from our residential complex to our office, covering a distance of three kilometers in approximately 10 minutes," he concluded.

Ministry, Peruri to cooperate for diploma digitalization

 The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology explored cooperation with state-owned banknote printer Peruri for the digitalization of diplomas to support the acceleration of digital transformation in the education sector.

"We hope this cooperation can have an effective impact on universities, such as digitalization of diplomas and legal documents, and other important documents," Higher Education, Science, and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto noted in a statement

Yuliarto stated that one of the main obstacles his ministry is currently facing is the digitalization of diplomas, noting that incidents of diploma forgery persist.

He further cautioned that this issue has far-reaching consequences, particularly affecting processes like employee recruitment and other activities that require reliable diploma validation. Therefore, this collaboration is expected to foster greater transparency and efficiency in service delivery.

Minister Yuliarto urged all universities to adopt a digital diploma system integrated with transcripts and the legalization process, enabling employers and other stakeholders to easily verify credentials and benefit from this initiative.

"Our goal is not merely digitizing or changing its form, but it encompasses numerous additional benefits that all parties gain through the crucial process of digital transformation," he remarked.

Meanwhile, Peruri President Director Dwina Septiani Wijaya emphasized that her side, along with the ministry, will make optimal efforts to realize a public-friendly digitalization system.

"Digitalization, such as digital ID, single data, and others, must be built as a fundamental element in public services and education. We would be very delighted to continue this cooperation, supporting the government in various policies that are more effective and efficient," she affirmed.

Ruud van Nistelrooy and Leicester’s dramatic decline hinged on one doomed decision

 Ruud van Nistelrooy has lost a relegation battle but he could still win Manchester United’s manager of the year award. At least if Ruben Amorim does not bring silverware in the Europa League, anyway, because Van Nistelrooy’s record at Old Trafford – three wins from four, unbeaten – stands out in a year of underachievement. So does his record at Leicester, though in another respect: Van Nistelrooy averaged two points per game at United, a mere 0.4 with Leicester.

A strange season for him has been a dreadful one for Leicester. Relegation went from probability to inevitability, the respectability of their performance against Liverpool, as their fate was sealed, coming amid a wretched run of form. He hinted he wants to stay – Foxes never quit, after all – and may need to, his reputation sufficiently dented by the last five months that few others may be in a rush to appoint him but it would seem implausible if, when he holds talks with the club, they are keen to keep him.

“I expected to bring more points to the table,” said Van Nistelrooy. He brought a mere eight. He had never been in a relegation battle before as either player or manager. He seemed unsuited to it. Van Nistelrooy and Leicester, each on the rebound, rushed into a relationship with each other. He claimed he had “no regrets” about his time in charge. Privately, he should harbour plenty.

Leicester have lost 16 of their last 18 games under Van Nistelrooy. A man with many goalscoring records has a team with one of their own: nine consecutive home league games without a goal, none in more than five months. Since the middle of December, 22 Premier League goals have been scored at the King Power Stadium, none by Leicester.

There is an explanation of relegation there. Perhaps Leicester did not need Van Nistelrooy the manager as much as Van Nistelrooy the forward. Their other ageing but talismanic striker, Jamie Vardy, has been stuck on 198 Leicester goals for 10 games, his pace blunted by his 38 years. Vardy, the perpetual pest, has been sadly anonymous. However, two years ago, he started 19 Premier League games. In promotion from the Championship, it was 18. This year, in the top flight, it was 31. It is not Leicester’s fault, but somehow they became more reliant on Vardy. That, too, is revealing and damning.

There is mitigation. When Leicester went down two years ago, it was with a squad tipped for the top 10, with the seventh highest wage bill, with a team billed as too good to go down. James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Youri Tielemans were promptly snaffled by top clubs. Now? There should be a top-flight taker for Mads Hermansen, who had a fine start to the season. Maybe for Wilfred Ndidi and Bilal El Khannouss, too, but not too many others. There will be few offers for a defence with a lone clean sheet and who have conceded 73 goals. “The difference is in the two boxes,” lamented Van Nistelrooy.

He had a point and there was some truth in his analysis of the macro footballing landscape. “Over 32, 33 games, the level of the three promoted sides, it is clear the difference in quality is there,” added the Dutchman. “The gap appears to be too big for promoted sides.”

For the second successive year, the three clubs that came up will go back down. And yet, if it is an inevitability, why take the job at all? Van Nistelrooy was not powerless, just as Leicester’s failings compounded a difficult context. This season should not have been so bad; their centre-back admitted as much. “Have we done enough this year? The answer is no,” said Conor Coady. “I think it is about how clubs prepare to play in the Premier League.”

Leicester prepared badly. Losing Enzo Maresca, their promotion-winning manager, and their best player, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, was far from ideal. But Leicester went from Maresca to Steve Cooper to Van Nistelrooy, three very different managers with different styles of play. They were not in the relegation zone when they sacked Cooper, which is not to say they would have stayed up under him. He felt a poor fit. He surely would have taken more than eight points from the last 20 games, though.

Van Nistelrooy has been shielded from the fans’ anger, which has been directed at Jon Rudkin, the director of football. They had few successes in recruitment, needing to sell Dewsbury-Hall for PSR but spending £20m on Oliver Skipp, who started just seven league games, proved disastrous. Van Nistelrooy was limited to one signing, the little-seen right-back Woyo Coulibaly. “In the winter window, there wasn't anything possible to strengthen, and that’s what the team really needed,” he rued.

Once again, the job wasn’t quite what he realised. Should he keep it, the circumstances could provide further problems. Leicester’s status shifts regularly, from surprise champions to top-four challengers back to a yo-yo club. Now, there could be a threat, an issue that could make it harder to bounce back up. It remains to be seen if, when they are back under the auspices of the EFL, they are charged with breaching Financial Fair Play for their past overspending.

Other numbers have caused concern. They have a mere 18 points and could end with the lowest points tally in their history. They have no league goal at the King Power in 2025, setting a Premier League record for most home games without finding the net. They had a team who couldn’t score or win, dissent in the stands and disappointment on the pitch. For Van Nistelrooy, as for Leicester, it could scarcely have gone much worse.

Japanese navy unveils railgun used to down China’s missiles

 Japan’s navy has unveiled a ship-mounted electromagnetic railgun intended to down incoming Chinese hypersonic missiles.

The large futuristic-looking weapon system was pictured last week undergoing advanced stages of testing on the flight deck of the experimental JS Asuka warship.

Tokyo has been intensely focused on fielding its next-generation weapons as threats increase in the Indo-Pacific from China, Russia and North Korea.

The railgun does not require explosives or propellant but relies on electromagnetic energy to launch projectiles at supersonic speeds, providing a cost-effective and quick response to potential fast-moving missile threats.

It fires at higher velocities than regular weaponry, with its ammunition travelling at 2,500 metres per second (m/s), compared to traditional tank guns, which fire shells at speeds of around 1,750 m/s.

Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) said that Vice Admiral Omachi Katsushi, the commander of the Self Defense Fleet, had visited the Asuka “to observe the latest status of the railgun, which is under development at the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency”.

Officials said the weapon would bolster naval missile defences, having the potential to engage air, sea and land targets with higher levels of accuracy than conventional munitions.

Research into the new weapon system started in 2016 and it carried out its first onboard firing test in October 2023.

The railgun “supports the development of Japan’s future combat readiness and national defence posture” JMSDF said last week.

Japan needed to strengthen its country’s defence capabilities after it estimated it had only 60 per cent of the interceptor missiles needed for national defence in 2022.

The US navy suspended its own railgun programme in 2021 after a decade in development that cost more than $500million over significant power and overheating challenges.

But China has been developing its own electromagnetic gun for years under a shroud of secrecy. In 2018, photographs showed Chinese warship Haiyang Shan, a landing craft, equipped with a prototype electromagnetic railgun.

India, Russia and Turkey have also tested prototypes.

The UK, despite research, is not building its own railgun. Instead, it is in the advanced stages of developing a direct energy weapon known as DragonFire.

Tipped as a revolutionary weapon, DragonFire uses lasers to down drones and missiles with an intense light beam, not projectiles fired by electromagnetic forces, and costs £10 a shot.

Ukraine has developed its own laser weapon which is understood to have been modelled on a UK prototype after designs were shared with Kyiv in 2024.

Quality human resources key for reindustrialization: minister

  Manpower Minister Yassierli has emphasized that improving the quality of human resources is a key factor for driving reindustrialization and strengthening Indonesia's economic competitiveness.

In an official statement issued here on Monday, he outlined several challenges in the field of employment that need to be tackled, including Indonesia's low human capital index of 0.540, which is below the ASEAN average, and the mismatch between education and industry needs.

"We cannot talk about the future industry with human resources who are still living in the past. Total transformation is needed now," he stressed.

To respond to those challenges, the Ministry of Manpower is carrying out three main strategies.

The first is revitalizing job training centers (BLKs) into modern training centers based on project-based learning, with a focus on digital skills and future technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Big Data.

"We want BLK graduates to have real experience, not only master theories," the minister said.

The second strategy is launching the National Productivity Movement program involving industries and professional associations to accelerate the production of quality human resources who are competitive at the global level.

Meanwhile, the third strategy is the development of the Employment Outlook system for projecting future workforce needs that will be used as a reference in preparing the national education curriculum.

"This is used so that the graduates are not only smart but also relevant and are ready to work," he said.

Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government, industry players, and educational institutions in realizing inclusive and sustainable reindustrialization.

Indonesia seeks to place professional caregivers in Singapore

 The Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI) is pursuing opportunities for the placement of professional elderly nurses or caregivers abroad, including in Singapore, through coordination with several ministries.

According to a statement received on Tuesday, the ministry stated that Singapore will serve as the pilot project for this cooperation.

This is based on data showing that of the total 250 thousand Indonesian citizens in Singapore, around 166 thousand are female domestic workers. In addition, Singapore is projected to need 24 thousand nurses by 2030.

"We are open to cooperation in migrant workers' placement in Singapore, especially for caregivers. We need to discuss the scheme we want to use," Deputy Minister of P2MI Christina Aryani stated.

Aryani drew attention to several existing placement schemes, such as government to government (G to G) or government to private (G to P).

"We need to learn requirements and competencies that must be met, so we can find suitable candidates for Singapore's needs," she affirmed.

She also expressed readiness to coordinate with the Ministry of Manpower and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) to train prospective caregivers for Singapore.

"Those who will be deployed are truly ready to work both in nursing homes and at home to care for the elderly," Aryani remarked.

She stated that the placement of elderly caregivers also aligns with the Care Economy Program of the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, aimed at improving the economy, profession, and standardization of Indonesian women.

In the same statement, Deputy Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Veronica Tan, affirmed that this collaboration can improve the skills and abilities of female domestic migrant workers and boost women's economy.

"If we can run the G to G program with the Singapore government through this pilot project, we will open up new job opportunities for women, along with increased skills and salaries," she emphasized.

Tan stated that there has not yet been any specific cooperation with Singapore regarding the placement of caregivers.

"Singapore happens to be close to Indonesia with many unprocedural domestic workers. We could seize this opportunity since the need for Indonesian domestic workers is still high, and we can reduce unemployment and improve the economy," she stated.

How disdain for Trump is fueling a major political 'transformation' in Canada

 now led by Prime Minister Mark Carney — and the Conservative Party (including opposition leader Pierre Poilievre) disagree on many things. But one thing many Conservatives and Liberals in Ottawa have in common is a vehement disdain for U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and his call for Canada to merge with the United States and become "the 51st state."

But according to Canadian pollster Mark Graves, it is the Liberal Party that benefits the most from anti-Trump attitudes.

Politico's Catherine Kim reports that in January, Graves was seeing "a sudden and unexpected downward trend for Conservatives." And now, he is seeing Liberals with a clear advantage.

"We had the Conservative Party with a 25-point lead, which is a massive lead in our system," Graves told Politico in a Q&A interview published on April 14. "At that point, we had the Liberals, who were the incumbent, at a historic — at least in the 21st Century — low of 19 points, basically tied with the (more left-leaning New Democratic Party) at that point…. The Liberals, in my latest numbers, they would get a massive 200-seat majority."

Graves continued, "Now, I think there'll probably be a little fall back, but they'll have a big cushion. This is unprecedented. I have never seen a transformation of our voter landscape in Canada of that nature."

According to Graves, the "biggest factor by far" in the political shift he is seeing in Canada "is President Trump and the shock and awe at announcements that we heard."

The Canadian pollster told Politico, "I asked people: Do you think that the Trump Administration has been about what you expected, much worse or much better? And look, the yardstick wasn't very high. Canadians weren't expecting it was going to be great, but by an overwhelming majority, they said, 'Oh no, this is way worse than we thought.' And so, it produced this recoil effect in Canada. And national identity, which had been at a 35-year low, started going up as Canadians kind of got, 'Oh, they're going to annex us?'"

Graves added, "It produced this really dramatic rise in national attachment, which is the main factor that propelled the Liberals to their elevated position.

How will the universe end? Scientists narrow it down to two scenarios

 Scientists are getting a little closer to understanding the nature of a mysterious force called dark energy - and how it impacts the fate of the universe.

The large, powerful force - which makes up nearly 70 per cent of the universe — it is pushing all the stars and galaxies away from each other at an ever faster rate.

A question scientists are trying to answer is whether this dark energy is a constant force, which scientists have long thought, or whether the force is weakening, a surprising wrinkle tentatively proposed last year.

Results presented at a meeting of the American Physical Society on Wednesday bolster the case that the force is weakening, though scientists are not yet certain and they still haven't worked out what this means for the rest of their understanding of the universe.

The updated findings come from an international research collaboration that is creating a three-dimensional map to see how galaxies have spread and clustered over 11 billion years of the universe’s history. Carefully tracking how galaxies move helps scientists learn about the forces that are moving them around.

Called the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, the collaboration released its first analysis of six million galaxies and quasars last year and has now added more data, bringing the count to nearly 15 million. Their updated results, taken with other measurements — exploding stars, leftover light from the young universe and distortions in galaxy shape — support the idea presented last year that dark energy may be waning.

“It's moving from a really surprising finding to almost a moment where we have to throw out how we've thought about cosmology and start over,” said Bhuvnesh Jain, a cosmologist with the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved with the research.

It's not time to completely rule out the idea that dark energy is constant because the new results are still shy of the gold standard level of statistical proof physics requires. The collaboration aims to map around 50 million galaxies and quasars by the end of its survey in 2026. And other efforts around the globe have an eye on dark energy and aim to release their own data in the coming years, including the European Space Agency’s Euclid mission and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.

“We want to see several different collaborations having similar measurements” at that gold standard to be sure that dark energy is weakening, said cosmologist Kris Pardo with the University of Southern California who was not involved with the new research.

The two scenarios

If dark energy is constant, scientists say our universe may continue to expand forever, growing ever colder, lonelier and still.

If dark energy ebbs with time, which now seems plausible, the universe could one day stop expanding and then eventually collapse on itself in what’s called the Big Crunch. It might not seem like the cheeriest fate, but it offers some closure, said cosmologist and study collaborator Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki of the University of Texas at Dallas.

“Now, there is the possibility that everything comes to an end,” he said. “Would we consider that a good or bad thing? I don’t know.”

"I've seen that happen 15 times and no one ever gained an advantage"

 Mathieu van der Poel will line up as the defending champion at Paris-Roubaix this Sunday. The Dutch rider from Alpecin-Deceuninck won last year’s edition after switching bikes just before hitting the cobblestones. But according to Tom Boonen, that strategy doesn't offer much of an advantage. “I've seen riders do that and never make it back to the front,” says the three-time Belgian winner.

Last year, Van der Poel started the race with tires at higher pressure before switching to his Roubaix bike. In the early, paved part of the Hell of the North, that setup provides an advantage over bikes with lower tire pressure. It’s not a new tactic, others have tried it in the past. Whether Van der Poel will use the same approach in 2025 remains to be seen on Sunday.

Boonen, well-seasoned in the northern French classic, isn’t a fan of the tactic. “I’ve seen it happen 15 times in Roubaix and no one ever benefited from it,” he said on the podcast Wielerclub Wattage. “Riders who try that all think they’ll save energy in the first 100 kilometers by riding a faster-rolling bike.”

Boonen: "Rivals will keep the race moving"

The former rider explains why he sees it that way. “You don’t want to switch bikes too early, because you want to benefit from that faster-rolling bike for as long as possible. But you also don’t want to switch too late, because then you’ll never make it back to the front in time for the first cobblestone section. So much stress just to save 15 watts,” Boonen says, shaking his head.

And that’s not all. “The rivals will be watching when Van der Poel makes his bike switch. They’ll keep the race moving and make sure Van der Poel suffers to get back,” he predicts.

Carragher compares ‘arrogant’ Arsenal star to two England heroes after Real Madrid display

 Jamie Carragher claims “spectacular left-back” Myles Lewis-Skelly reminds him of one of his England teammates and a Three Lions hero after the Arsenal star’s display against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Two glorious Declan Rice free-kicks and an excellent finish by Mikel Merino secured a stunning 3-0 win over the Spanish giants in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final

Rice predictably stole the headlines while Cesc Fabregas hailed Bukayo Saka’s performance having only just returned from a long-term injury absence, but Carragher reserved praise for Lewis-Skelly, who was making just his 29th senior appearance for the Gunners.

“You talk about full backs and you think of sort at Liverpool with Trent they’re a little bit different,” the Liverpool legend said on CBS Sports after the game.

“They’re not a normal full back and you just mentioned what a young full back would be. Normally at a big club, when a young player comes through, the easiest position to come through is probably full back.

“You (pointing at Micah Richards) did that (at Man City), I did that (at Liverpool). You bed yourself into the game. I’m not saying it’s an easy position, but you don’t have to be spectacular if you like.

“But he’s spectacular at left back and he looks like one of the best players in the Arsenal team.

“He’s going into central midfield and receiving the ball on the half turn. He’s got Mbappe and Vinicius Jnr either side of him, he’s taking responsibility.”

Lewis-Skelly earned his first call-up for England last month, starting both games under Thomas Tuchel and scoring just 20 minutes into his debut against Albania.

And Carragher claims Lewis-Skelly’s “football arrogance” reminds him of both Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney

“That’s where I go back to football arrogance,” he added. “And it’s not about position, it reminds me a little bit of Jude Bellingham at that age and Rooney.

“When Wayne Rooney first came into the England squad it was almost like I’m the best player, give me the ball, no fear, you take the ball in difficult situations.

“When we were young players it was like you wanted to get your first pass off, don’t give the ball away just want to almost build into a game.

“But he’s got that thing like he’s 26 and been playing all of his life and he is very, very special.”

Police officer apologizes for attacking ANTARA photojournalist on duty

 Second Inspector Endri Purwa Sefa, the police officer at the center of an incident involving violence against an ANTARA News Agency journalist in Semarang, Central Java, last weekend, has apologized for his actions.

The security protocol officer slapped ANTARA photojournalist Makna Zaesar on the back of his head while the latter was covering Indonesian Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo's visit to Tawang Station in Semarang on Saturday, April 5.

He also threatened to "slap" every journalist present during the incident.

"I regret my actions and would like to apologize to my media colleagues for the incident at Tawang Station," the police officer stated after meeting with Zaesar at the ANTARA News Agency's Central Java office on Sunday, April 6.

Sefa also promised to act in a more humane, professional, and mature manner while on duty.

The meeting was mediated by Central Java Police's Public Relations Division Chief Senior Commissioner Artanto and ANTARA News Agency's News Director Irfan Junaidi.

Although Zaesar accepted the apology, he expressed his hope that the police would take corrective action.

Meanwhile, Senior Commissioner Artanto expressed regret over the incident, emphasizing that standard security procedures should not be carried out in an overly "emotional" manner. He assured that an investigation would be conducted.

"If we find any violations, the officer will be sanctioned according to the law," Artanto affirmed.

The police officer also expressed hope that such an incident would not recur and that it would not discourage the press from trusting and collaborating with the police.

Furthermore, News Director Irfan Junaidi called for self-evaluation within the police force to increase their professionalism following the incident. He also deplored the incident, highlighting the role of the press in serving the public.

"Nonetheless, ANTARA will continue to carry out its journalistic work professionally and objectively, and will work with the police as one of the public stakeholders to ensure that we can perform our duties effectively," Junaidi remarked.

Bali govt to commence waste cleanup movement on April 11

  Bali Governor Wayan Koster has issued Circular Number 9 of 2025 on the Bali Waste Cleanup Movement, which will be officially commenced on April 11, 2025.

The governor here on Sunday stated that he would bring together all village heads, customary village representatives, communities, district heads, mayors, and students, adding that the movement will be launched by Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq.

Koster underlined that the issue of waste in Bali must be resolved immediately, considering that President Prabowo Subianto is also pushing the resolution of the waste issue with Bali being one of the prioritized regions.

"We should not wait until the end of my second term. If possible, this waste problem must be resolved by the middle of the term," he said.

In his direction, the regulation on waste management will cover all elements of the community, including business players.

He noted that in his previous gubernatorial term, there was already a regulation on waste management and a ban on single-use plastics, though the implementation was not yet 100 percent optimal.

Moreover, at that time, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Of course, the situation is better now because the central government is currently promoting the handling of the waste issue. There is also direction from President Prabowo to accelerate waste handling," he said.

Before the waste cleanup movement was launched, the Bali Provincial Government has earlier issued a circular that comprises rules and prohibitions for villages and customary villages, business players, markets, places of worship, and educational institutions.

The governor has promised a prize for those who apply good waste management and sanctions for those who fail to meet the standards.