Chandni Vatvani, Channel NewsAsia

Chandni Vatvani

Channel NewsAsia

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Past:
  • Channel NewsAsia

Past articles by Chandni:

One year on, lessons from Lombok quake inspire change at Mount Rinjani

LOMBOK: "We were cooking breakfast that morning, just after 6am, when the ground shook," said 31-year-old Sahnan as he recalled the moment a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Lombok on Jul 29, 2018. → Read More

Indonesian counter-terror chief mulls repatriation of former Islamic State families

Indonesia’s National Agency for Combating Terrorism (BNPT) said that it is ready to lead a team to repatriate families of former Islamic State (IS) members from Syria, once an official decision on the matter has been made. → Read More

Prints, patterns and preservation: How Indonesia’s batik artisans draw a younger generation

BEKASI: Peni Cahyaningtyas belongs to a younger generation of hand-drawn batik artisans. → Read More

Connoiseurs look to boost specialty tea in Indonesia

JAKARTA: Around seven hours away from Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta lies the Harendong tea estate. Nestled in the mountainous area of Banten ... → Read More

Malaysia, Indonesia discuss border agreements, 'negative campaign' against palm oil

SINGAPORE: Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah met his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi on Monday (Jul 23) after paying a courtesy ... → Read More

The toxic waste that enters Indonesia’s Citarum River, one of the world's most polluted

MAJALAYA, Indonesia: It’s been called the world’s most polluted river by the World Bank. Murky, dense and dirty-brown – the water that runs through Citarum River in Indonesia’s West Java is toxic. Yet, the river supports around 28 million people who rely on it for daily activities such as cooking, bathing and laundry. Spanning nearly 300km, it is the longest river in Indonesia’s most populous… → Read More

30 treated after exposure to fumes from Ijen crater

JAKARTA: Around 30 people were treated at health centres and hospitals after being exposed to concentrated sulphuric gas which spewed from the crater of Mount Ijen volcano in East Java province’s Banyuwangi regency. The National Disaster Management Authority said in a statement that an eruption occurred on Wednesday (Mar 21) night. Residents of Kalianyar village situated near the crater… → Read More

Landslide-hit Indonesian regency declares disaster alert status

JAKARTA: A disaster alert status has been declared in Brebes Regency in Indonesia's Central Java, in the wake of a landslide which hit a mountainous area following two weeks of heavy rain. At a press conference on Friday (Feb 23), the National Disaster Mitigation Authority said the two-week alert will end next month on Mar 7. As of noon on Friday, at least seven people are confirmed dead and 13… → Read More

Former president Suharto's son among new contenders for 2019 Indonesian elections

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s General Elections Commission (KPU) on Saturday (Feb 17) declared that 14 political parties will participate in next year’s legislative and presidential elections, with the addition of four new contenders. The 14 parties successfully passed the Commission’s vetting process, with two other parties, the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI)… → Read More

Cleric accused of masterminding Jakarta attack goes on trial

JAKARTA: A jailed Indonesian cleric accused of being the mastermind of a deadly 2016 terror attack in Jakarta went on trial Thursday (Feb 23) and faces a possible death sentence if convicted. Aman Abdurrahman is charged with terrorism-related offences over the attack, claimed by the Islamic State group, that killed four bystanders in a busy downtown neighbourhood. Four militants died after they… → Read More

Sword-wielding man attacks churchgoers in Indonesia

JAKARTA: A man wielding a sword attacked several churchgoers in the city of Yogyakarta on the main island of Java before being shot by the police on Sunday (Feb 11). The man is said to have stabbed a priest and three others, including a police officer, before slashing at the statues of Mary and Jesus. The condition of the victims are not immediately clear. The man was shot in the stomach and is… → Read More

Indonesian navy seizes vessel off Batam carrying 1 tonne of crystal meth

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s navy on Saturday (Feb 10) said it had seized a fishing vessel carrying one tonne of crystal methamphetamine off Batam on Wednesday. Local media reported the drugs were smuggled in rice sacks and the boat MV Sunrise Glory, which was flying a Singapore flag, was operated by Taiwanese crew members. According to the Indonesian navy, the vessel was spotted by patrol boat KRI… → Read More

Indonesian President Widodo pledges haze-free 2018

JAKARTA: President Joko Widodo on Tuesday (Feb 6) told officials that he had given his word for 2018 to be a haze-free year to the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia. “In 2015, every time I met the prime ministers of Singapore and Malaysia, the complaint that would always be conveyed to me was about haze,” he said, according to a press statement from the Presidential Secretariat. “The… → Read More

4 suspected terrorists arrested in Indonesia

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s counter-terrorism squad on Tuesday (Oct 24) arrested four suspected terrorists in Kampar Regency and Pekanbaru City, Riau Province. According to local media reports, a spokesperson for Riau police said a house associated with the four suspects had been raided. Police reportedly recovered weapons, documents, religious books, mobile phones and a savings book. “Investigations… → Read More

Spend an afternoon at one of Jakarta’s oldest marketplaces

If you’re looking for a slightly different shopping experience, Channel NewsAsia’s correspondent in Jakarta, Chandni Vatvani recommends spending a day at one of Indonesia’s oldest marketplaces instead. → Read More

Fake news a concern as Indonesians lap up social media

JAKARTA: Whether they are tweeting or posting, Indonesians love social media. According to Instagram, the country is its largest market in the Asia Pacific. Twitter too, says Indonesians are among its top five users worldwide, and Facebook - the social media favourite of Indonesians - says the country is home to its fourth-largest user base. According to Facebook, which owns Instagram,… → Read More

Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi to meet Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar

JAKARTA: Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi is headed to Myanmar, where she will meet State Counselor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday (Sep 4). Retno will leave Jakarta on Sunday evening for her one-day visit, Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a media release. In addition to meeting Suu Kyi, Retno is also scheduled to meet the Commander in Chief of Defence… → Read More

Molotov cocktail thrown at Myanmar embassy in Jakarta

JAKARTA: A Molotov cocktail was thrown at the Myanmar embassy in central Jakarta early on Sunday (Sep 3) morning. According to local media reports, the bomb was thrown at the second floor of the building at about 2.35 am local time and started a fire on the back porch which was extinguished later by police personnel. Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono confirmed the incident to local news… → Read More

Cooperation meeting on cross-border terrorism, foreign fighters kicks off

MANADO: Indonesia and Australia on Saturday (Jul 29) co-hosted a meeting to discuss how to combat the threat of cross-border terrorism and returning foreign fighters in the region of Manado, a North Sulawesi province. The sub-regional cooperation meeting on fighting terrorist fighters and cross-border terrorism was attended by ministers and security officials from the Philippines, Brunei,… → Read More

Marawi siege to have long-term impact on extremism in Southeast Asia: IPAC

JAKARTA: The battle for Marawi in the southern Philippines is likely to have long-term repercussions for extremism in Southeast Asia, even after Philippines military regains control of the city, according to a new report by the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) released on Friday (Jul 21). The impact could include a higher risk of violent attacks in other Philippine cities and in… → Read More