Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has arrested three judges in connection with allegations of bribery during a high-profile case involving the illegal export of palm oil.

The detentions follow an investigation into the role of the judges in securing favorable rulings for major palm oil companies.

Abdul Qohar, the AGO’s Director of Investigations, confirmed on Monday that the three judges Agam Syarif Baharuddin, Ali Muhtarom, and Djuyamto were arrested late on Sunday.

They are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for acquitting the Wilmar Group, Permata Hijau Group, and Musim Mas Group, all of which were involved in the illegal export of crude palm oil.

In March, these judges ruled that the companies had been exporting palm oil without the necessary government permits.

However, they decided that the actions did not violate Indonesia’s criminal laws, a decision that raised suspicions.

Following extensive questioning of seven witnesses, investigators gathered enough evidence to formally name the judges as suspects.

Qohar revealed that the judges had received significant sums of money in exchange for the ruling.

The first transaction in 2024 amounted to 4.5 billion Indonesian rupiah (approximately 268,000 USD), facilitated through former South Jakarta District Court Chief Muhammad Arif Nuryanta.

A second payment followed, totaling 18 billion rupiah.

The detention of the judges brings the total number of suspects in the case to seven.

On Sunday, prosecutors also named South Jakarta District Court clerk Wahyu Gunawan, defense attorneys Marcella Santoso and Ariyanto, and Nuryanta as suspects.

The case stems from the illegal exportation of crude palm oil by the three major companies during a temporary export ban imposed by former President Joko Widodo in 2022.

The ban was introduced to address a nationwide cooking oil shortage.

According to the government, the illegal exports led to a loss of 10.9 million USD, as the government had to subsidize domestic cooking oil prices to ease the crisis.

In connection with the illegal export scandal, five individuals, including prominent market analyst Lin Che Wei and a senior official from the Trade Ministry, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to three years in January 2023.

Other individuals convicted in relation to the case included former Director-General of International Trade at the Trade Ministry, Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana, and several business executives, such as Master Parulian Tumanggor, Stanley MA, and Pierre Togar Sitanggang.

The UK government on March 19, 2025 announced higher visa fees across all categories

Come April, and travelling or studying in the United Kingdom will become costlier for travelers..

The UK government on March 19, 2025 announced higher visa fees across all categories, including student and visitor visas, as well as electronic travel authorisations. The changes will take effect from April 9, 2025.

Visitor and ETA fees see steep rise

For those that require a visitor visa to enter the UK. That fee is going up by ten per cent — from $149 to $164. For travellers from visa-exempt countries, the cost of the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) will rise from $12 to $20 — an increase of 60 per cent.

The new ETA pricing will come into effect earlier, starting April 2, 2025.

An ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is a pre-arrival requirement for visa-exempt nationals. It’s not a visa but works in a similar way, allowing UK authorities to carry out security checks before a traveller arrives.

Visit visas:

Short-term (up to 6 months): Currently £115; increasing to £127—a rise of £12.
Long-term (up to 2 years): Currently £432; increasing to £475—a rise of £43.
Long-term (up to 5 years): Currently £771; increasing to £848—a rise of £77.
Long-term (up to 10 years): Currently £963; increasing to £1,059—a rise of £96.

Student visas and educational travel affected

Fees for student visas will also increase. The main applicants and their dependants will now have to pay £524 ($677), up from £490 ($633). This also applies to child students.

Short-term study visas for those enrolled in English language courses longer than six months but under 11 months are increasing from $258 to $276 — a rise of $18.

Emma English, Executive Director of the British Educational Travel Association (BETA), raised concerns about the hikes.

“The government’s post-Brexit policy of requiring international school groups to use passports instead of ID cards has already resulted in a decline in group visits. Increasing the cost of the ETA adds another barrier, exacerbating the sector’s challenges. Youth travellers are valuable for their economic contribution and for fostering long-term international connections and cultural understanding,” said Emma English, Executive Director of the British Educational Travel Association in a statement.

Study visas:
Student (main applicant and dependants): Currently £490; increasing to £524—a rise of £34.
Child student: Currently £490; increasing to £524—a rise of £34.
Short-term student (studying English language for more than 6 months but not more than 11 months): Currently £200; increasing to £214—a rise of £14.

Work visa increases vary by category

The UK’s Home Office data shows that Health and Care Worker visas will see the sharpest jump — up 28.2 per cent. The fee will increase from $367 to $470.

Skilled Worker – Shortage Occupation visas are also seeing a substantial rise of 26.3 per cent, reaching £470.

Other increases include:

Temporary Work visas: Up 3.9 per cent, now $38 more than before
Innovator Founder (main applicant and dependants): Currently £1,191; increasing to £1,274—a rise of £83.
Start-up (main applicant and dependants): Currently £435; increasing to £465—a rise of £30.
Minister of Religion visa: Up 5.6 per cent

Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain):
Main applicants and dependants: Currently £2,885; increasing to £3,029—a rise of £144.

Business Standard

A fire tore through an overcrowded nightclub packed with mostly young people in North Macedonia early Sunday, killing 59 people, apparently after on-stage fireworks at a hip-hop concert set the venue ablaze, authorities said.

Some 155 people who were injured in the inferno had been taken to hospitals across the country, 22 of them in critical condition, officials said. Some of the more serious cases were taken to hospitals in other European countries.

Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said that more than 20 wounded and three of those killed in the fire were minors.

“At the time of the event around 500 people were inside, while 250 tickets were sold,” he said.

The blaze started in the Club Pulse in the eastern town of Kocani, which was packed with mostly young fans attending a concert by a popular hip-hop duo called DNK.

“The fire started around 2:30 am (0130 GMT), the sparklers that were on stage ignited the styrofoam on the ceiling. I heard an explosion and the roof collapsed,” one young person who was inside for the concert told local media.

“We all rushed to get out, we all ran towards one door that was for both entry and exit,” they were quoted as saying.

Another, a young woman waiting outside a hospital in the capital Skopje for a friend being treated for burns, said: “Initially we didn’t believe there was a fire. Then there was huge panic in the crowd and a stampede to get out.”

The fire was probably caused by pyrotechnic devices “used for lighting effects at the concert,” said Toskovski, who visited the scene with Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

“Sparks caught the ceiling, which was made of easily flammable material, after which the fire rapidly spread across the whole discotheque, creating thick smoke,” Toskovski said.

At a later press conference Toskovski said that the authorities were investigating whether “corruption” and “bribery” were linked to the deadly nightclub fire.

“This company does not have a legal license for work,” he said, referring to the club.

“This license, as many other things in Macedonia in the past, is connected with bribery and corruption. In this case, those involved in illegal issuance of license have names and will be held responsible,” he added.

More than 20 people were under investigation over the blaze, 15 of whom were in police custody, while others were in hospital, he said.

Among the suspects are the two members of the band, an owner of the club and organisers, among others.

A former director of the rescue services and a state secretary at the economy ministry were among those detained, he said.

The head of the Kocani hospital, Kristina Serafimovska, told media that “most of the dead unfortunately suffered injuries from the stampede that occurred in the panic while trying to exit”.

“Seventy of the patients have burns and carbon monoxide poisoning,” she said.

One of the members of the DNK duo that had performed, Vladimir Blazev, had burns to his face and needed assistance breathing, his sister told local media outlets.

– ‘Very sad day’ –

“This is a difficult and very sad day” for the country, Mickoski wrote on his Facebook account. “The loss of so many young lives is irreparable, and the grief of their families, their loved ones and their friends is immeasurable.”

The government proclaimed a seven-day mourning period and ordered flags lowered.

“A decision will also be made on an urgent and extraordinary inspection of all nightclubs, discotheques and restaurants that organise parties,” the government said in a statement.

Pope Francis sent prayers to the victims and survivors and wished “the families of the dead, mostly young people, the expression of his deep condolence,” the Vatican said in a message addressed to the bishop of Skopje, Kiro Stojanov.

Videos posted on social networks and shot before the fire showed there were “stage fountains” set up — a type of indoor fireworks used during performances.

Other videos published by media showed huge flames emerging from the building, a two-storey white structure in Kocani, a town with 30,000 residents.

An AFP photographer in the town saw military medical vehicles arrive to reinforce staff at the local hospital tending to some of the injured.

As the day unfolded, the leaders of neighbouring countries sent condolences.

Many of the patients in serious condition were transferred to other countries like Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Turkey.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said on X that she was “deeply saddened about the tragic fire” and that “the EU shares the grief and pain of the people of North Macedonia”. (AFP)