The Justice Department has come under fire for redacting and quietly removing some photos from the files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s case, which were already released on Friday. Attorney General Pam Bondi, accompanied by (L-R) Metropolitan Police Department Chief of Police Pamela Smith, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Office Special Agent in Command Anthony Spotswood, FBI Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Darren Cox, and FBI Director during an arrest of Kash Patel6, speak during a new conference of Kash Patel6. bombing at the Department of Justice on December 4, 2025 in Washington, DC. Federal agents have arrested a suspect they believe planted two pipe bombs, which never exploded, the night before the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. (Getty Images via AFP) Amid backlash over deleted photos from the recently released Epstein files, US Attorney General Pamela Bondi reaffirmed Sunday that anyone involved will bring legal action against anyone and we will bring the Justice Department first. exploitation of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims.” She posted on X: “We confirm this commitment and ask any victim to please come forward with any information relating to any individuals who were involved in illegal activity at their expense.” She said authorities have met with many victims and victim groups, and will continue to do so as more reach out. “Please contact myself, DAG Blanche, or the FBI, and we will investigate immediately. We believe in the equal standard of justice in this country and will ensure that Justice is served,” Bondi said. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche earlier said Justice Department officials protected the victims of Jeffrey Epstein when they removed several images from the agency’s release of files related to the notorious sex offender. “There were a number of photos that were pulled after they were released on Friday,” Blanche said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “That is because a judge in New York has ordered us to listen to any victim or victims’ rights group if they have any concerns about the material we post,” Blanche said. Jeffrey Epstein sparks controversy The Justice Department released thousands of files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, December 19. However, the department has received criticism for editing and allegedly removing photos from the files already released on Friday. According to The New York Times, NPR and the Associated Press, up to 16 photos, including the Trump desk drawer image, were removed from the Justice Department’s website on Saturday, although Reuters could not independently confirm the removals. The Justice Department later on Sunday said it restored one photo after determining “there is no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photo.” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said earlier Sunday that his office removed the photo because of concerns about women in the photo. “This has nothing to do with President Trump,” Blanche said during a Sunday morning appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.” “You can see in that picture there are pictures of women,” Blanche said earlier Sunday. “And so we learned after we released that photo that there was concern about those women and the fact that we put that photo up. So we pulled that photo down. It has nothing to do with President Trump.” However, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have accused the Trump administration of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act and protecting President Donald Trump. Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said on CNN’s State of the Union that the administration is “covering up things that, for whatever reason, Donald Trump doesn’t want to make public.” Blanche rejected that claim, promising that nothing related to Trump was in the files. “If President Trump is mentioned, if there are photos that we have of President Trump or anyone else, they will of course be released, with the exception of any victims or survivors that we have identified,” he told NBC.

Bain Capital India Chairman Amit Chandra on Sacrificing Short-Term Profits for Better Outcomes Bain has an apprenticeship culture where learning and leadership go hand-in-hand, says Chandra(Pexels (Image used for representational purposes)) The idea of ​​giving was instilled in Amit Chandra by his mother and sister. Although money was scarce for the middle-class family, he volunteered his time and contributed his skills instead. Over a period of time, Chandra grasped the concept of ‘giving while living’ after meeting leaders like Venkat Krishnan, founder of GiveIndia, understanding the teachings of Guru Nanak and reading about American businessman Chuck Feeney. This formed the idea of ​​philanthropy early in his career. “Between my wife, Archana, and I, we didn’t have much spare income after paying for accommodation, but given how much the scope of others shaped me, I wanted to start giving back early,” says Mumbai-based Chandra, 57, chairman, Bain Capital India, and founder of ATE Chandra Foundation. They started by supporting education as a cause, and have now partnered with organizations like Akanksha Foundation. By the time Chandra launched Bain Capital India in 2008, the couple had decided to give away most of their income to support and engage with other NGOs. A few years later, they founded the ATE Chandra Foundation with their friend, Anuj Bhagwati, and once Bain Capital India found its feet, Chandra decided to devote more time to social causes. Balancing the two roles was possible by setting clear priorities and building strong teams that function with trust and autonomy. “Bain has an apprenticeship culture where learning and leadership go hand in hand. I have been a huge beneficiary of that and I am grateful that the colleagues I hired 17 years ago are now running the office and taking the franchise to the next level,” he says. Chandra believes that India is in the golden age of philanthropy, where it will move from a few individuals to CSRs, professionals and entrepreneurs in the coming time. “The day we start celebrating a giving list as much as a rich list, building social infrastructure as much as a big house, we will start to see change in how people use their wealth,” he says. Chandra talks to Lounge about mentoring and the importance of grooming leaders for the future. View full image Amit Chandra Who do you consider your mentor? I have been blessed with a number of people who have guided me from time to time. Hemendra Kothari, Noshir Soonawala and the late Narayan Vaghul have all been great mentors over the years. I drew a lot of inspiration from Guru Nanak’s teachings and Chuck Feeney’s journey. One big insight you worked on with your mentor’s guidance? Always do what is right, no matter the cost. This is something that all my mentors emphasized. This sometimes meant sacrificing short-term gains and other times incurring major short-term pains. But it has always served me well in the long run. What does being a mentor mean to you? How do you mentor your colleagues at work? I have always believed that one of the biggest indicators of a leader’s success is how many other leaders they have groomed. Just as others have generously invested in me, I see it as my responsibility to do so for as many as possible. One of the greatest satisfactions is to see so many who have worked for me over the years in positions of high responsibility. Few things compare to that. What does your morning schedule look like? I hear Shabads from the Guru Granth Sahib and finish reading news from around the world. What are some of the productivity principles you follow that have made your professional and personal life much easier? I make it a point to rarely keep anything pending for more than 24-48 hours. I delegate extensively and monitor closely. What is the one positive work routine you have developed during the pandemic? Recommend resources for doing completely aspirational work while out of the office. Any book or podcast you would recommend about mentoring and growth? A book I highly recommend is How Would You Measure Your Life by Clayton Christensen. How do you relax? Do you pursue any serious hobbies? I like to spend time with my family, dog, listen to music and travel to the mountains. Monday Motivation is a series in which business leaders discuss their mentors and their work ethic.

Mahindra XUV 7XO will come with many features and many important and interesting ones will be shared with the Mahindra XEV 9S. Limited time offers on popular models Mahindra XUV 7XO will come with a plethora of features in its cabin, which will replicate the newly launched Mahindra XEV 9S. Mahindra XUV 7XO, the upcoming facelifted and refreshed iteration of the XUV700 is all set to launch in India on January 5th. This will be the automaker’s first major car launch in 2026. The SUV will share a plethora of important and interesting features with the Mahindra XEV 9S, the flagship electric SUV that was launched just a few weeks back. Mahindra has pushed a more advanced technology-focused and comfort-led approach with its new range of products. Both the Mahindra XUV 7XO and the Mahindra XEV 9S follow the same strategy. The homegrown auto giant has already teased the upcoming XUV 7XO several times on its social channels and revealed the key design elements and features. Clearly, it shares a lot with the XEV 9S. With this host of features, the Mahindra XUV 7XO is likely to become one of the most feature-rich offerings in its class. The SUV is already available for official bookings at a token amount of ₹21,000. Here are some key features that the Mahindra XUV 7XO will share with the XEV 9S. Mahindra XUV 7XO: Triple Screen Dashboard The upcoming Mahindra XUV 7XO will adopt the triple digital screen setup equipped dashboard of XEV 9S. This setup integrates a fully digital instrument cluster, a large 12.3-inch central touchscreen infotainment system and a passenger-side 12.3-inch touchscreen display into a single console. Both of these touchscreen displays come with a plethora of connectivity features. This gives the cabin an ultra-modern and high-tech vibe. Mahindra XUV 7XO: 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system The Mahindra XUV 7XO is expected to share the 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system available in the XEV 9S. This sound system promises a rich and immersive sound experience for the occupants. This will make the Mahindra XUV 7XO one of the best equipped models in its segment. Mahindra XUV 7XO: Powered Boss Mode One of the key features that has found increasing penetration in many mid-size SUVs in India lately is the powered Boss mode, which allows the navigator’s seat to be adjusted electrically, with just one push of a button. This allows the rear occupant behind the navigator additional leg room and more knee room, increasing the overall comfort level. The Mahindra XEV 9S received this feature, and the XUV 7XO is also confirmed to get it. Mahindra XUV 7XO: Sliding and Ventilated Rear Seats The second row seats of the Mahindra XEV 9S come with sliding function, which allows the occupants to move the seats back and forth, allowing them to adjust spaces for the second and third row seats. The second-row seats of the XEV 9S also have three-step ventilation functions. The ventilated seat feature is especially beneficial in the hot and humid weather conditions, which are common across most of India. The Mahindra XUV 7XO will share both these features for its second row seats. Mahindra XUV 7XO: Powered Tailgate The Mahindra XEV 9S comes with powered tailgate, which adds everyday convenience for the occupants. This allows the occupants to operate the tailgate hands-free, making it easier to access the boost storage. This feature not only adds convenience but also increases premiumness.

The Indian stock market saw healthy gains for the second straight session on Monday, December 22, on the rupee’s rise against the US dollar and positive global cues on expectations of further rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve in January. The Sensex jumped over 500 points to an intraday high of 85,461.19, while the Nifty 50 reclaimed 26,140 on Monday. Thus, in two sessions, the pack of 30 stocks gained almost 1,000 points. Not only the front-line indices, but the second-run mid-cap and small-cap indices also posted healthy gains of up to 1% on Monday. The overall market capitalization of BSE-listed firms rose to nearly ₹475 lakh crore on Thursday from ₹466 lakh crore, making investors richer by nearly ₹9 lakh crore in just two sessions. Why is the Indian stock market rising? Let’s look at the five key factors behind the rise in the Indian stock market: 1. Rupee’s recovery below the 90 level The Indian rupee rose 22 paise to 89.45 against the US dollar in early trade on Monday, supported by foreign fund inflows. RBI is also said to have aggressively sold dollars to support the domestic currency. (This is a developing story. Please check back for new updates.)

North Tapanuli – The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has started building temporary shelters (huntara) for residents affected by floods and landslides in North Tapanuli, North Sumatra. Construction begins after the land clearing process is complete. Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Centre, Abdul Muhari, said that 40 shelters will be built on 4 hectares of land in Sibalanga Julu Hamlet, Sibalanga Village, Adiankoting. Construction has started since Friday (19/12). “On Sunday (21/12), it was observed that the land clearance was completed. One shelter unit completed 75% of the work,” Abdul Muhari said in a written statement on Monday (22/12/2025). PAGE TO CONTINUE CONTENT BNPB uses a grow house design. He said this shelter will also be developed as a permanent residence (huntap). The land area prepared for each family is 6×6 meters with the shelter building area 4×6 meters. The shelter model uses immediate healthy and safe home technology or RISHAM. One house unit consists of one bedroom, one main room and one bathroom equipped with a septic tank. The RISHAM structure uses a reinforced concrete frame. BNPB aims for phase one of the shelter construction to be completed in 5 weeks. BNPB hopes that this shelter can be used by affected residents in January 2026. Temporary shelter for disaster victims in Taput (doc. BNPB) He said that the construction of temporary housing for residents affected by floods and landslides in North Tapanuli Regency was also socialized to affected residents, Office, Saturday (Saturday) (1). Apart from temporary housing, the government is also accelerating resettlement and providing new housing for residents affected by floods and landslides in Sumatra. He said that President Prabowo Subianto has ordered the construction of temporary and permanent shelter for all residents affected by the disaster in Sumatra to be carried out as soon as possible. On Sunday (12/21), Abdul said, PKP Minister Maruarar Sirait came to North Tapanuli with Interior Minister Tito Karnavian to lay the first stone for the construction of permanent housing for residents affected by floods and landslides. Huntap in North Tapanuli is located in Dolok Nauli Village, Adiankoting District, North Tapanuli. At this location, the PKP ministry will build 103 permanent housing units for disaster victims. The housing development work will be completed within 3 months until March 2026. Apart from North Tapanuli, the construction of permanent housing for the PKP ministry is also being carried out simultaneously in Central Tapanuli with 118 units, South Tapanuli with 227 units, and Sibolga with 200 units. Abdul Muhari said that the construction of the shelter was also carried out in collaboration with the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation. (haf/dhn)

Tuban – Samuji (65) panicked when he heard his name announced as dead over the mosque loudspeaker in Jambean Wangi Village, Jatirogo District, Tuban, East Java. Samuji, who was looking for grass in the paddy fields, immediately rushed home. When he arrived home, Samuji found residents gathered for condolences and a body he thought was ready for burial. A surprising fact was revealed, the announcement turned out to be wrong and Samuji was still alive and in good health. However, the situation suddenly changed when Samuji suddenly returned home in good health. Samuji’s arrival immediately caused a stir among the residents and their families who gathered at the funeral home. SCROLL TO CONTINUE CONTENT Samuji admitted that he heard the announcement that he had died while searching for grass in the rice fields. When he heard the news, he rushed home to confirm what had really happened. Samuji then informed the residents and family that he was still alive and well. It also raises a big question as to whose body is at the Samuji funeral home. Jatirogo police chief Inspector Arif Nugroho explained that the body in Samuji’s house appeared to be Pardi, a resident of a neighboring village. He admitted that there were facial similarities between Pardi and Samuji, so residents mistakenly identified the body. Arif said the incident involving bodies that changed identities began with a report of the discovery of a body in a paddy field on the same day. The police also visited the place to investigate the crime scene and examine the body. “We arrived at the crime scene and it turned out that there were already many residents. There was a little debate, some residents explained that they were Jambean Wangi residents, in the name of Samuji, but there were other residents who declared that they were not Samuji,” said Arif, reported by detikJatim, Sunday (21/12/2025). According to Arif, some residents who believed the body was Samuji then immediately contacted the family without confirming the identity in detail. In fact, the news of the death was immediately announced over the local mosque’s loudspeakers. “The victims have not yet been investigated in detail. Some of them hastily contacted Samuji’s family and information about his death was immediately broadcast over the loudspeakers at the local mosque,” said Arif. Samuji’s wife, who received the sad news, also immediately came to the rice field which is about 300 meters from the house. However, due to his emotional state, he did not have time to confirm the identity of the body. “I asked the residents at the crime scene to look at the victim again in detail, but no one dared. Even Samuji’s wife came to the paddy field and did not check whether it was her husband or not because she kept crying,” Arif added. Because it was believed to be Samuji, the body was then taken to the funeral home. More and more residents came after hearing the announcement of the mosque. “Mr. Samuji arrived at his home, Mr. Pardi’s body was still in the house. But not long after, Mr. Pardi’s family came to collect it,” Arief said. “There is indeed a similarity in face and coincidentally the age does not differ much between the deceased children Pardi and Samuji,” he added. Read more here (idh/dhn)

Djakarta – A total of 29 of the 31 land assets of Bekasi Regent Ade Kuswara Kunang in the State Administrator’s Wealth Report (LHKPN) do not state where they come from. The KPK will trace the origin of the land assets listed in Ade’s LHKPN. “From the reported asset data, the KPK will of course also check the origin of the acquisition,” Budi Prasetyo, KPK spokesperson, said on Monday (22/12/2025) when asked. Budi explained that the origin of an asset must be recorded in the LHKPN by the reporting party. If there is no information, the reporter does not include it. Scroll TO CONTINUE “That’s right (the LHKPN reporter should have written it),” he said. Seen by detikcom, Monday (22/12), of the total of 31 pieces of land owned by Ade, only two pieces of land were recorded as ‘self-made’. Meanwhile, it has not been explained where the other 29 pieces of land come from. The two lands reported as ‘self-produced’ were in Bekasi Regency/City. The value of the two lands is IDR 435 million. Ade’s total land assets are worth IDR 76.5 billion. Ade himself was caught by the KPK OTT on Thursday (18/12). Ade was then named a suspect because he was suspected of receiving IDR 9.5 billion in project debt. Apart from Ade Kuswara, the KPK also named his father HM Kunang and a private party called Sarjan (SRJ) as suspects. Asep Guntur Rahayu, Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission, said it is planned to start work on the project next year. The money is referred to as a down payment for the project guarantee. (sial/yang)

Jakarta – Professor of Criminal Law at the Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed) Prof. Hibnu Nugroho appreciated Attorney General ST Burhanuddin for the immediate processing of the prosecutors caught in the KPK’s OTT. Prof. Hibnu believes that the Office of the Attorney General (Kejagung) will do everything to handle this case. “I think the office of the attorney general will say everything in this matter. This means that he does not know who it is, the most important thing is that he is guilty and it will tarnish the name of the prosecutor’s office in a bad way. I think it is no longer negotiable. The attorney general will certainly process it as soon as possible and can give a similar deterrent effect to other prosecutors,” said prof. journalists, Sunday (21/12/2025). He also appreciated the Corruption Eradication Committee and the Office of the Attorney General for jointly detecting acts of extortion committed by prosecutors in Banten. Hibnu believes that the Corruption Eradication Committee and the Attorney General’s Office will handle OTT cases with transparency and accountability. He hopes that regional prosecutors will not commit any more extortion that could tarnish the name of the institution. Scroll to continue CONTENTS “A warning to other prosecutors not to abuse it, because it is about the spirit of integrity. Therefore, the integrity of a law enforcement officer to resist temptation, the temptation of money, the temptation of regulations, external temptations, it is very high. Therefore, whether he should keep it or not, every regional leader should continue to monitor,” he said. The criminal law expert also hopes that law enforcement agencies, including the Corruption Eradication Commission and the Attorney General’s Office, can coordinate with each other in the future when handling cases at the same time. He hopes that a similar incident will not happen again. “This is my note, there must be synergy between the police and the prosecutor’s office. The goal is the same, namely to expose criminal acts of corruption,” he said. It is known that the prosecutor’s office has temporarily suspended 3 prosecutors involved in the extortion of South Korean citizens in Banten. Hibnu also appreciated the prosecutor’s quick response in this matter, because the action of temporary dismissal was a firm step and was considered to prevent other prosecutors from doing the same thing. “The prosecutor’s reaction was quick because it is also a lesson for prosecutors who might want to play around. It is a form of action, it has a deterrent aspect to other prosecutors,” he said. Apart from that, Hibnu believes that the firm action taken against individual prosecutors should be appreciated because the prosecutor’s office is not selective in rooting out corruption. “We should appreciate this firm action. So don’t be selective, don’t be picky. Take firm action on everything,” he said. Previously, the disclosure of the extortion case by 3 prosecutors was carried out by the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) through an arrest operation (OTT). The Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) initially carried out OTT and arrested 9 people in the Banten area on Wednesday afternoon (17/12). Of the 9 people arrested, they consisted of prosecutors, lawyers and private parties. The OTT is related to extortion of South Korean citizens (South Korean citizens). Then the Corruption Eradication Commission coordinated with the Attorney General’s office. At the same time, it appeared that the attorney general’s office had issued a press release on the case and named a suspect. The Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) then handed over the case and the party caught in the OTT in Banten to investigators from the Office of the Attorney General (Kejagung). The investigation into the case was then continued by the attorney general’s office. The Office of the Attorney General (Kejagung) then named 5 suspects in the alleged extortion case against foreign nationals of South Korea in Banten. The suspects consisted of 3 people who were subject to the KPK OTT and 2 people who were previously named as suspects by the AGO. “It is true that there was a sting operation yesterday, several of which were carried out by the Corruption Eradication Commission. One of them was a prosecutor from the Banten High Prosecutor’s Office,” said Head of the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna at the Attorney General’s Office, South Jakarta, Friday (12/19). The AGO also temporarily suspended three prosecutors who are suspects in the extortion case against South Korean citizens. The three prosecutors who are suspects in this case are the head of the Tangerang Regency Prosecutor’s Office, Herdian Malda Ksastria; public prosecutor at the Banten Prosecutor’s Office Rivaldo Valini; and the head of the Banten Prosecutor’s Office, Redy Zulkarnaen. The AGO said the three prosecutors who were suspects have been temporarily suspended. The suspension takes effect from Friday (19/12). “He has been dismissed, temporarily suspended since today. This will finally have permanent legal effect. Automatically, all his salaries will be stopped,” Anang said. (yld/dhn)

Jakarta – Vice Chairman of Commission IX DPR Charles Honoris reacted to the Free Nutritious Meals (FML) program that will continue during the December school vacation until early January 2026. Charles suggested that the FML budget implemented during the school vacation be redirected to more urgent needs, one of which is to help disaster victims. “Instead of imposing programs at a time when they are less relevant, wouldn’t it be wiser to redirect the budget to respond to other pressing needs?” Charles told reporters on Monday (12/22/2025). “For example, helping disaster victims in Sumatra or strengthening health facilities and nutritional restoration in areas affected by acute obstruction,” he continued. Scroll TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Charles appreciated the government’s efforts to maintain the continuity of the MBG programme. However, according to him, the distribution of MBG during school holidays is considered less effective. “School holidays mean that the learning ecosystem, where children receive the benefits of MBG, does not work as it should. The distribution of dry food during the holidays, which according to field reports contains a lot of packaged products and ultra-processed food (UPF), may deviate from the initial goal of this program, namely to improve the nutritional status of Indonesian children,” he said. According to him, during school holidays, parents have a greater role in fulfilling children’s nutrition at home. Moreover, they have enough time during the holidays, so that parents are able to prepare nutritious food for their children. “So, if what is being distributed is processed food that is low in nutritional content, the effectiveness of this program is questionable,” he said. He warned against forcing the distribution of MBG during school holidays to waste the budget. According to him, this policy must be reviewed. “We must be honest: do not allow this program to be forced only to spend the budget at the end of the year. Public activities like this must be directed at real benefits, not at spending,” he said. “I hope that the government can really review the implementation of MBG during the holiday period, to ensure that this program continues to run according to its objectives,” he added. BGN is known to have prepared a number of alternatives for students to distribute MBG during the holidays. Head of BGN, Dadan Hindayana, said the MBG program for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children under five will run as it should. “For pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers as usual. For school children, each SPPG must do an inventory of how many and how often children are willing to go to school,” Dadan said when asked for confirmation, Sunday (21/12). Dadan said that at the beginning of the school holidays, students will get ready-to-eat menus such as eggs, fruit, milk, shredded meat or beef jerky. This menu runs for a maximum of 4 days. “For the rest of the day, if students are willing to come to school, they will be distributed to school, if not, we have to start taking up delivery mechanisms at homes or pick them up at SPPG,” he said. “We are currently designing a delivery system after 4 holidays,” he added. (amw/lir)

Jakarta – BMKG said the seeds of tropical cyclone 93S are moving away from Indonesian territory. However, BMKG predicts that tropical cyclone seeds will continue to affect the weather in Indonesia. The warning about the potential for tropical cyclones was conveyed by BMKG in the Tropical Cyclone Seed Analysis document 22 December 2025 at 07:00 WIB seen by detikcom, Monday (22/12/2025). BMKG initially said that the seeds of tropical cyclone 93S, which started forming in the Bali-West Nusa Tenggara region on December 11, 2025, moved to coordinates 12.3°S 102.6°E in the Indian Ocean southwest of West Java. This position has shifted compared to the analysis on Sunday (21/12) morning. BMKG said the maximum wind speed observed was around 65 km/h with a minimum air pressure of 998 hPa. Based on observations of satellite images in the past 12 hours, BMKG said, there was a decrease in convective activity on December 21, 2025 at 21:00 WIB to 07:00 WIB this morning. Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT “It is characterized by a reduction in the area of ​​dense clouds and deep convection, with convection observed west and east of the circulation center,” BMKG said. Even though there is a decrease in activity, BMKG predicts that tropical cyclone seed 93S could still intensify into a category 1 tropical cyclone this evening. BMKG said the movement of the cyclone seeds was heading west, away from Indonesian territory. “In the next 24 hours, the intensity of tropical cyclone seed 93S is predicted to increase slowly, characterized by the appearance of areas with gale-force winds and gale-force winds in four quadrants after gale-force winds are currently observed in two quadrants and an increase in wind speed that will increase to 50 knots (92 km/h will be forecast) Cyclone on Monday 22 December 2025 at night with movement westward away from the region,” said BMKG said. BMKG said the cyclone seed could also intensify into a category 2 tropical cyclone with wind speeds of up to 100 km/h in the next 48 hours. Tropical cyclone activity is forecast to decrease over the next 72 hours with wind speeds still around 92 km per hour. “The potential for Tropical Cyclone Seed 93S to develop into a tropical cyclone in the next 24-72 hours is in the high category,” said BMKG. Even though it is away from Indonesian territory, the tropical cyclone seed is forecast to continue to affect extreme weather in Indonesian territory over the next 24 hours. The following is the BMKG estimate: – Medium category wave height (1.25-2.5 m) in waters west of Bengkulu to Lampung, southern Sunda Strait, waters south of Java Island, Indian Ocean west of the Mentawai Islands to Lampung, and Indian Ocean south of Java Island. For information, the disaster in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra is said to have occurred partly as a result of extreme rain caused by Category 1 tropical cyclone Senyar. Category 1 cyclones are the lowest of the five levels of cyclone categories. Meanwhile, a Category 5 tropical cyclone itself occurred in the Philippines in September 2025. At that time, NASA Earth Observatory declared Super Cyclone Ragasa to be Category 5 with wind speeds of over 270 km/h. In November 2025, the Philippines was also hit by Super Typhoon Fung-wong prompting local authorities to issue a Category 5 signal. More than 1 million people were evacuated in the Philippines. (haf/haf)