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Until last week most Australians had probably forgotten about the existence of the Bali Nine. Since two of their number — the so-called ringleaders of the heroin smuggling gang, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran – were executed in 2015 and Renae Lawrence was released in 2018 — the others had dropped off the radar. That the five who have survived 19 years of their life sentences in Indonesian jails are now back on the diplomatic agenda is a mixed blessing for them. They will be full of fresh hope of moving to be closer to their families, and getting a potential release date. For all this to be part of a political debate before the deal is done, puts them in slightly risky territory. To know why, we need to recall the history of a different drug smuggler: Schapelle Corby. After years of diplomatic back-channelling, Corby – known in Indonesia as “the ganga queen” – was finally released early in 2014, after nine years. Schapelle Corby’s release in 2014 will play a part in the political discussion in Indonesia over the release of the remaining Bali Nine members. The then Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, had taken the political risk of looking soft on drugs and too pro-West by allowing her parole on compassionate grounds, for mental health reasons. One stipulation was that she serve out her sentence at the family compound in Bali. Instead, she was whisked from the prison in a limousine procured by an Australian TV network (Seven), masked to preserve its exclusive story, and taken to a luxury compound to prepare for a planned highly paid interview. Then she was photographed in her prison clothes sipping a beer. Loading The Indonesian public was furious. The way they saw it, their president had kowtowed to the West and now the TV network and the Corbys were making fools of them. At one point it seemed possible that she might be returned to prison. Then, as now, the S-word — sovereignty — was invoked. An editorial in the newspaper Media Indonesia said Corby had ridiculed Indonesian law and sovereignty. Attempts to bring the remaining five members of the Bali Nine home by December, carry some similar risks. Already firebrand international law professor Hikmahanto Juwana has said of the potential deal: “Our sovereignty is being ripped [to shreds].” As a former colony (invaded and run by the Dutch, then the Japanese in World War II), Indonesians are wary of anything that smacks of foreign interference, particularly by Western colonial powers. They also have a great political intolerance for drugs. Remaining Bali Nine members Matthew Norman, Michael Czugaj, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens and Si Yi Chen – another member, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, died from cancer in 2018 – were never as infamous in Indonesia as Chan and Sukumaran, but their story was still known. You can only imagine the trepidation they are feeling now as their transfer is discussed but unconfirmed. That said, much has changed since 2013. Indonesia is two presidents down the track. Yudhoyono was replaced in 2014 by Joko Widodo, who moved early to cement his populist-nationalist credentials with the show executions of Chan and Sukumaran. Now Prabowo Subianto is in charge. He was educated in the West and became famous as a military general. He appears more comfortable in his own strongman skin, and Indonesia seems once again willing to talk. How Australia now acts and speaks, though, remains important. When then-prime minister Tony Abbott reacted angrily to the proposed execution of Chan and Sukumaran in 2015, and reminded Indonesia of the billion-dollar contribution made by Australia in 2004 for post-tsunami aid, ordinary Indonesians made him the butt of a joke. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Peru earlier this month. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen They collected small coins (as they do for beggars at traffic stops in Jakarta) to “pay back” the aid, and dubbed their campaign #koinuntukabbott, or Coins for Abbott. Chan and Sukumaran were shot by firing squad, the date of the execution announced on Anzac Day. After the current talks became public, shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash muscled up, saying : “Drug offences are some of the worst offences our society sees because of the devastating consequences on people, including death.” This is no doubt true. But Cash should remember her words can be heard in Indonesia. I am biased. I knew some of the Bali Nine and I believe that 19 years is long enough. I also believe, as Sukumaran put it to me in 2012, that they had “f---ed up” and they knew it. “We were wrong, we know that. We’re paying for that.” And he had a message that, in my view, should still resonate today: “We’ve changed ... Our families shouldn’t have to suffer like this.” Michael Bachelard was this masthead’s Indonesia correspondent from 2012 to 2014. Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Bali Nine Analysis Indonesia For subscribers Foreign aid Drugs Michael Bachelard is a senior writer and former deputy editor and investigations editor of The Age. He has worked in Canberra, Melbourne and Jakarta, has written two books and won multiple awards for journalism, including the Gold Walkley. Connect via Twitter . Most Viewed in National LoadingThe Gunners delivered the statement Champions League victory their manager had demanded to bounce back from a narrow defeat at Inter Milan last time out. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track, lifting them to seventh place with 10 points in the new-look 36-team table. It was Arsenal’s biggest away win in the Champions League since beating Inter by the same scoreline in 2003. “For sure, especially against opposition we played at their home who have not lost a game in 18 months – they have been in top form here – so to play with the level, the determination, the purpose and the fluidity we showed today, I am very pleased,” said Arteta. “The team played with so much courage, because they are so good. When I’m watching them live they are so good! They were all exceptional today. It was a big performance, a big win and we are really happy. “The performance was there a few times when we have played big teams. That’s the level that we have to be able to cope and you have to make it happen, and that creates belief.” A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. The Gunners took the lead after only seven minutes when Martinelli tucked in Jurrien Timber’s cross, and Saka teed up Havertz for a tap-in to double the advantage. Arsenal added a third on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel charging in to head Declan Rice’s corner into the back of the net. To rub salt in the wound, the Brazilian defender mimicked Viktor Gyokeres’ hands-over-his-face goal celebration. That may have wound Sporting up as they came out after the interval meaning business, and they pulled one back after David Raya tipped Hidemasa Morita’s shot behind, with Goncalo Inacio netting at the near post from the corner. But when Martin Odegaard’s darting run into the area was halted by Ousmane Diomande’s foul, Saka tucked away the penalty. Substitute Trossard added the fifth with eight minutes remaining, heading in the rebound after Mikel Merino’s shot was saved. A miserable night for prolific Sporting striker Gyokeres was summed up when his late shot crashed back off the post.Tweet Facebook Mail With experts and authorities weighing in on the harm social media is causing our teenagers, what do Australian children actually think about the online platforms? In the foothills of Adelaide, a group of young South Australian scouts often disconnect, swapping online connections for real-world ones. These scouts, who gather weekly for team-building exercises outdoors, believe that this time away from their devices has significantly enhanced their social skills. READ MORE: Aussie kids banned from social media as critics slam 'sham' debate Australia has moved to ban children from social media. (Getty) "Being outdoors can just be a break from that," 17-year-old Lincoln Rieger said, one of the scouts. "Just having those other people there instantly limits you from being on your phone," adds 13-year-old Pip Hamlyn. This generation has never experienced life without social media, and they're well aware of some of the pitfalls, as well as the benefits. "In reality, all the things on social media are manufactured to an extent," Rieger said. "We can often post things that might not be the actual truth, everyone has their bad days on social media it's almost always the good days." "All my friends and I use social media in some way," Hamlyn adds. "So without it I'd not be able to stay in contact with lots of my friends and that would be tough." As a 13-year-old, Hamlyn could soon be barred from using social media under the federal government's ban for under-16s. It's a policy that is splitting the youngest generation. READ MORE: Revealed: What apps will and won't be covered by social media ban "Yeah I do (support it) because then we will be able to spend more time with each other without being so focused on social media," 15-year-old Charlie Stradiotti said. "I don't think a ban because there are definitely positives to the negatives," fellow teenager Noah Antonelli said. But the allure of social media isn't going away anytime soon. "You end up in that rabbit hole, keep going, trying to find that dopamine release and trying to find the same happiness," year 11 student Giuliana Blefari said. But education is proving vital, with a recent survey showing children who haven't learned about online safety are three times more likely to be sent, or stumble across, unwanted or inappropriate sexual content. Support is available from the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress .Alex Ovechkin is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks with a broken left leg
NoneThe notion that Donald Trump would hike tariffs is hardly a surprise - it was a plan front and centre of his economic pitch during the election campaign. If that softened the landing, it still hit hard in the three countries in the frame. Mexico warned it would cause inflation and job losses in both their countries and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke of a relationship that needs a "certain amount of working on". It's the weary assessment of a man who's seen this movie before. On the face of it, it's symptomatic of a muscular economic stance that fits entirely with Donald Trump's "America First" strategy. It would have a significant impact, far beyond the countries that Trump has placed in the frame , raising the spectre of trade war and, accordingly, grinding the gears of international trade. America itself wouldn't escape consequences. Canada, Mexico and China are its top three suppliers, shipping more than $1trn of goods to the US in the first nine months of this year alone. Under the Trump plan, the cut passed on to consumers could cut deep. Read more: Trump plays a blinder as accusers turn blind eye One of FBI's most wanted 'terrorists' caught in Wales Follow our channel and never miss an update His announcement might amount, merely, to a negotiation tactic - an effort to outsource the problem-solving on his political priorities. Whatever it is, it creates a sense of diplomatic unease and economic uncertainty.
Aaron Judge wins second AL MVP in 3 seasons. Shohei Ohtani expected to win NL honorNEW YORK — For about 50 years, adding cavity-preventing fluoride to drinking water was a popular public health measure in Yorktown, a leafy town north of New York City. But in September, the town’s supervisor used his emergency powers to stop the practice. The reason? A recent federal judge’s decision that ordered U.S. regulators to consider the risk that fluoride in water could cause lower IQ in kids. “It’s too dangerous to look at and just say, ‘Ah, screw it. We’ll keep going on,’” said the town supervisor, Ed Lachterman. Yorktown isn’t alone. The decision to add fluoride to drinking water rests with state and local officials, and fights are cropping up nationwide. Communities in Florida, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming and elsewhere have debated the idea in recent months — the total number is in the dozens, with several deciding to stop adding it to drinking water, according to Fluoride Action Network, an advocacy organization against water fluoridation. In Arkansas, legislators last week filed a bill to repeal the state’s fluoridation program. The debates have been ignited or fueled by three developments: In August, a federal agency reported “with moderate confidence” that there is a link between high levels of fluoride exposure — more than twice the recommended limit — and lower IQ in kids. In September, the federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children. This month, just days before the election, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that Donald Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day as president. Trump later picked Kennedy to run the Department of Health and Human Services. In Durango, Colo., there was an unsuccessful attempt to stop fluoridating the water during Trump’s first term in office. A new push came this year, as Trump saw a surge of political support. “It’s just kind of the ebb and flow of politics on the national level that ultimately affects us down here,” said city spokesman Tom Sluis. Fluoride is a public health success story but opposition persists Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1950, federal officials endorsed water fluoridation to prevent tooth decay, and the addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. Fluoride can come from a number of sources, but drinking water is the main source for Americans, researchers say. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population gets fluoridated drinking water, according to CDC data. There is a recommended fluoridation level, but many communities exceed that, sometimes because fluoride occurs naturally at higher levels in certain water sources. Opposition is nothing new, though for decades it was considered a fringe opinion. Adherents included conspiracy theorists who claimed fluoridation was a plot to make people submissive to government power. Health officials could point to studies that showed that cavities were less common in communities with fluoridated water, and that dental health worsened in communities without it. But fluoride isn’t just in water. Through the years it became common in toothpaste, mouthwash and other products. And data began to emerge that there could be too much of a good thing: In 2011, officials reported that 2 out of 5 U.S. adolescents had at least mild tooth streaking or spottiness because of too much fluoride. In 2015, the CDC recommended that communities revisit how much they were putting in the water. Beginning in 1962, the government recommended a range of 0.7 milligrams per liter for warmer climates where people drink more water to 1.2 milligrams in cooler areas. The new standard became 0.7 everywhere. Over time, more studies pointed to a different problem: a link between higher levels of fluoride and brain development. The August report by the federal government’s National Toxicology Program — summarizing studies conducted in Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan and Mexico — concluded that drinking water containing more than 1.5 milligrams of fluoride per liter was associated with lower IQs in kids. “There’s no question that fluoride prevents cavities,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, who was director of the CDC when the agency changed the recommended fluoride levels. “There’s also no question we’re getting more fluoride than we were 50 years ago, through toothpaste and other things.” Frieden said “a legitimate question” has been raised about whether fluoride affects brain development, and studies making that link “need to be looked at carefully.” U.S. towns wrestle with what to do Many people in health care strongly embrace water fluoridation. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed their endorsement of current CDC recommendations in the wake of the federal report and the judge’s ruling. Colorado’s health department, which weighed in during a Nov. 5 Durango city council meeting, said in a statement that it “seeks to align its public health recommendations with the latest scientific research. The facts of this court ruling are not sufficient” to revise current fluoridation levels. Durango officials are waiting to see what the EPA does in reaction to the recent court decision, said Sluis, the city spokesman. “We follow the science,” he said. “It wouldn’t be in the best interest of the city to stop fluoridation based on one judge’s interpretation.” In Yorktown, Lachterman concluded the judge’s decision was enough to halt fluoridation. He recalled a community discussion several years ago in which most people in the room clearly favored fluoridation, but recently it seems public comment has reversed. “It’s like a total 180,” he said. But not all public pressure these days is against the idea. In September, Buffalo, N.Y., announced it would resume water fluoridation after not having it for nearly a decade. News reports had described an increase in tooth decay and families sued, seeking damages for dental costs. The Buffalo Sewer Authority’s general manager, Oluwole McFoy declined to discuss the decision with The Associated Press, citing the litigation. For its part, the EPA “is in the process of reviewing the district court’s decision,” spokesman Jeff Landis said last week. Debates become heated In Monroe, Wis., fluoridation “has become a very hot issue,” said its mayor, Donna Douglas. The small city, near Madison, started fluoridating its drinking water in the early 1960s. But in the late summer, some residents began calling and emailing Douglas, saying she needed to do something about what they saw as a public health danger. The first call “was more like a threat,” she recalled. Douglas said she did not take a position on whether to stop, but decided to raise it to the city council for discussion. The discussions were unusually emotional. Few people tend to speak during public comment sessions at council meetings, Douglas said. But more than two dozen people spoke at a city council meeting last month, most of them in favor of fluoridation. At a subsequent meeting, about a dozen more people — all opposed to fluoridation — came out to speak. “This is the first time we’ve had any debates at all” like this, Douglas said. “I didn’t realize it would be such a heated discussion.”