Indonesia: Why Central Java is slowly sinking into the sea

Through a series of compelling characters, our guest's book vividly evokes the teeming, sweltering city of Bangkok and captures the lush history of Thailand. Pitchaya Sudbanthad, author of "Bangkok Wakes to Rain", joined us on Perspective to discuss his vision for the book, how it sounds the alarm over climate change and what that could mean for Bangkok.

Two Philippine boats carrying food supplies for soldiers to the disputed Second Thomas shoal were blocked by the Chinese coast guard, who allegedly fired water cannons on them. No injuries were reported in the incident.

It is the last place on the planet where the Sumatran rhino, tiger, elephant and orangutan still roam together in the wild – and it is under threat. The Leuser Ecosystem in Aceh, Indonesia is facing a series of mounting pressures, including loggers, plans for hydroelectric dams, and human encroachment on the land. Now activists, led by a group of women, are fighting to ensure it survives. We spoke to Farwiza Farhan, one of the women on the front line of forest conservation.

July 12 marks the fifth anniversary of a landmark ruling by the independent Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague that rejected China's claims to contested islands in the South China Sea. Despite the 2016 ruling, Beijing has deployed forces to prevent fishers from the Philippines from accessing the waters.

"Islamic State" propaganda lured hundreds of Indonesians to fight for an extremist cause in Syria. One such Indonesian says the IS Islamic caliphate dream was flawed and that he wants to turn over a new leaf. He has joined a social media campaign to counter extremist narratives.

July 12 marks the fifth anniversary of a landmark ruling by the independent Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague that rejected China's claims to contested islands in the South China Sea. Despite the 2016 ruling, Beijing has deployed forces to prevent fishers from the Philippines from accessing the waters.

Java's northern coast is slowly subsiding into the sea — mainly because of groundwater exploitation. Without a wholesale change in the provision of water, the city of Pekalongan could be submerged by ocean waves by 2030.

French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin, who set off in a rowboat from Portugal on January 1 to cross the Atlantic solo, has vanished at sea with his boat found overturned and empty near the Azores archipelago, Portugal's navy said. The 75-year-old Savin's support team had said in a Facebook post on Saturday that his body had been found inside the cabin of his sleek, purpose-built boat Audacious, but late on Sunday issued another statement signed by his daughter Manon that the body had not been recovered.

Military experts in South Korea are analyzing exactly what type of missiles were launched, but said they appeared to be cruise missiles. Pyongyang has increased weapons testing in the past few weeks.

A blaze took hold as two gangs from rival ethnic groups in the province of West Papua fought to settle a quarrel. The two sides used machetes, arrows and Molotov cocktails to attack each other.

There's growing concern about increasing numbers of migrants arriving on the island of Lampedusa, Italy. The island has long been a magnet for people hoping to apply for asylum in Europe – and recent weeks have seen hundreds of arrivals.

we spoke to members of two refugee communities currently blocked in countries and requesting resettlement. First, in Indonesia, members of the Hazara ethnic minority from Afghanistan told us about their rising desperation to be moved to a third country after police violence and a suicide in their community. Some of these refugees have spent over a decade in Indonesia, where they are unable to drive, work or go to school.