Nur Janti, Jakarta – Three ancient inscriptions found in North Sumatra in recent years have brought scholars a step closer to discovering how the province's native Batak, one of the oldest cultures still recognizable in Indonesia today, developed its own script.

Jakarta – The Defense Ministry, along with the Agriculture Ministry, harvested corn in a food estate area in Tewai Baru village, Sepang district, Central Kalimantan, on Monday.

The food estate, part of the government's 2020-2024 National Strategic Program, manages land used to cultivate crops and integrate food production in the country.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated a pilot plant for red cooking oil in Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra, on Thursday, as part of his efforts to promote domestic industrialization of raw materials.

Fito Akhmad Erlangga, Jakarta – Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno highlighted the need for Indonesia to acquire up to 350 more airplanes to alleviate ticket prices.

Ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday in April, airplane ticket prices and other modes of transportation have seen a surge of approximately 10 to 12 percent.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) predicts that economic growth in 2024 will only reach 4.8 percent, falling below the government's target of 5.2 percent.

Sleman – The Yogyakarta Islamic University (UII) academic community held a ceremony in which they placed flowers on a grave (tabur bunga) on Thursday March 14 to commemoration of the death of democracy in Indonesia.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Democracy Alliance for Papua (ALDP), conducting independent monitoring during the 2024 elections, concluded that the political understanding among election participants, electoral organizers, and the public was severely lacking during the implementation of the 2024 elections in the Papua and Mountainous Papua provinces.

Jayapura, Jubi – In March 1973, then President of Indonesia Soeharto, accompanied by the Governor of Irian Jaya Frans Kaisiepo and the Director of Freeport Minerals, officially inaugurated the Ertsberg mine for the first time. This mountain was excavated for copper concentrate to be exported from Nemangkawi abroad.

Heru Yustanto, Bogor – The Bogor City Police Criminal Investigation Unit has apprehended Dimas, 27, on suspicion of orchestrating a human trafficking scheme through an online prostitution business spanning Greater Jakarta and Indonesia.

Amy Sood – As Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto is set to be named the official winner of last month's presidential race, allegations of electoral fraud and retaliatory investigations have cast a shadow over the nation's democratic integrity, following what analysts describe as "one of the least trustworthy" polls in recent decades.

Semarang – Atorrential downpour in Semarang, the provincial capital of Central Java, has caused severe flooding, which has inundated major parts of the city including the Old Town area and the nearby Tawang Station.

In the Old Town, which is home to many colonial-era buildings, flooding to a depth of 50 centimeters has prevented motorists from traversing the area.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Deforestation for oil palm plantations continues unabated at the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, likely driven by new processing mills that in turn may ultimately be supplying major consumer goods companies.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Defense Minister and likely presidential winner Prabowo Subianto is seeking to form stronger defense ties with Japan.

Prabowo recently hosted a visit by the Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Masaki Yasushi at his ministerial office in Jakarta. The former military general announced the meeting on the social media platform X on Thursday.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – US President Joe Biden has sent a personal letter to Prabowo Subianto to congratulate him on his lead in the Feb. 12 presidential election.

A copy of the letter, which was dated March 12, was posted on Prabowo's Instagram account on Thursday.

Eka Yudha Saputra and Yohanes Maharso Joharsoyo (Antara), Jakarta – The Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka pair was ahead in the re-voting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which was held on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Based on the (PSU) result, D document, seen by Tempo, the pair of candidate number 02 received 6,266 votes out of a total of 12,357 votes.

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced on Wednesday it has launched an investigation into alleged bribery in state-owned construction company Hutama Karya related to the Trans-Sumatra toll road project.

Jakarta – The Transportation Ministry has predicted that more than 193 million people, or 71 percent of the country's population, are expected to participate the annual Idul Fitri tradition of mudik (exodus) in early April.

Muhammad Fakhruddin, Jakarta. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called for a boycott of Israeli dates during the holy month of Ramadan, alleging that the proceeds from their sales contribute to the harm of Palestinian civilians.

Antara, Samarinda – The National Armed Force (TNI) is assisting the Kutai Kartanegara (Kukar) district government in efforts to develop the district as the food barn of the new capital city Nusantara (IKN).

Nusantara is currently being developed in parts of the districts of Kukar and North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan province.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The school operational assistance (BOS) fund has been put forth as a possible financing source for Prabowo Subianto's free school lunch program, the presumptive winner's key campaign promise.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The General Election Commission (KPU) has completed the nationwide vote count in 16 out of 38 provinces and one overseas electoral district for the 2024 Presidential Election.

Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka secured a substantial lead in all 16 provinces, amassing a staggering 38,521,561 votes.

Ruth Dea Juwita, Jakarta – Indonesians have entered Ramadan with soaring food prices amid increased demand, and economists are predicting further hikes over the next two months, but the government has sought to assure the public that it will keep staples affordable.

Syafiq Hasyim – A plank of Prabowo Subianto's team's winning strategy for East and Central Java in last month's election rested on the shoulders of an unusual cleric who hails from Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest mass Muslim organisation.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – Bambang Susantono, the head of the Nusantara Authority, has announced that Stanford University is considering establishing a research center in the upcoming Indonesian capital.

Didik Setia Budi, Bangkalan – A distressing incident unfolded in Panpajung Village, Modung District, Bangkalan Regency, East Java. On March 4, Mukarromah, 25, experienced a horrifying delivery where the infant's head was severed and left inside her womb.

Alifia Sekar and Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – Authorities have urged the public to stay vigilant in the coming weeks for potential extreme weather in many parts of the country amid multiple ongoing natural disasters that have claimed dozens of lives.

Jakarta – The development of the Nusantara Capital City has the potential to cause massive environmental damage. The claim that it will be a sustainable forest city is just empty words from officials.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Anna Hasbie, clarified that the ministry has never imposed any prohibition on the use of loudspeakers in mosques and prayer rooms during Ramadan.

She said the ministry had only issued a guideline on the use of loudspeakers. "We have never issued such a ban," Anna said on Tuesday, March 12.

Asyraf Kamil, Singapore – Whether Indonesian President Joko Widodo shifts his allegiance to Indonesia's oldest political party Golkar in a bid to continue to wield political influence after he steps down largely depends on when it holds its national congress, experts said.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – Questions remain over how presumptive president-elect Prabowo Subianto is planning to fund his flagship free school lunch program after a senior minister's proposal to dip into school aid funds was met with widespread opposition from teachers.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi chaired an internal meeting on accelerating land provision for investment in the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

Bagus Pribadi and Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – The Supervisory Board of the Corruption Eradication Commission, or Dewas KPK, will try several employees in the case of illegal levies or extortion in KPK detention centers. The trial will be held in closed court until the verdict is read.

Aryo Putranto Saptohutomo, Jakarta – The government's discourse on involving active members of the TNI-Polri (Indonesian military and police) in filling state civil service (ASN) positions is seen as violating the function and competencies of the two institutions.

Monique Handa Shafira, Jakarta – Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said on Wednesday that the persistent increase in rice prices has been driven by a shortage of subsidized fertilizers.

Defara Dhanya Paramitha, Jakarta – Several legal aid associations for women and domestic workers have implored the House of Representatives (DPR) to expeditiously pass the bill on the protection of domestic workers (RUU PPRT).

Jakarta – There is no Indonesian political party as dynamic as the Golkar Party, the vehicle of the militaristic New Order to control the country following procedural democracy. No other party has stood the test of time quite like Golkar.

Jakarta – Eleven fishermen survived after three days at sea clinging to their capsized boat, rescuers said Wednesday as they searched for at least 22 crew still missing after the weekend incident that left two dead.

Wijayanti Putri, Solo – Vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka has spoken out regarding speculation that he will become the next Chairman of the Golkar Party. He firmly asserted that there are many more deserving figures than himself.

"Nah, no way. Let the more experienced seniors handle it," he told reporters at the Solo City Hall on Wednesday.

Yerica Lai, Jakarta – Political parties behind presumptive presidential election winner Prabowo Subianto appear to have distanced themselves from a potential race to capture the House of Representatives speakership from the largest party in the legislature, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Yustinus Paat & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, have emerged victorious in all provinces across Java, home to more than 60 percent of the national population, according to provincial tallies certified on Tuesday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Jordanian King Abdullah II recently congratulated Prabowo Subianto for his expected election win in a heartwarming phone call.

Prabowo uploaded Tuesday a video of the phone call on his Instagram account. "Happy for you, my brother. Congratulations," Abdullah II told Prabowo.

Ian Wilson – Grassroots legislative candidates in Jakarta face an uphill battle in their struggle to make electoral politics work for the poor, including changing perceptions of the value of a vote.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is entering the final months of his second and final term, with presumptive winner Prabowo Subianto set to be inaugurated in October this year.

Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto has said he plans to privatize the hospitality industry by pulling out state-owned enterprises (SOEs) from the sector.

The incumbent Defense Minister, who is the likely winner of the 2024 general election according to informal tallies, said the country's tourism industry was developed so it did not require state intervention.

Jakarta – Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto has ordered all nightclubs, karaoke bars and massage parlors in the West Java city to close during the month of Ramadan as a sign of respect for Muslims who are fasting.

Jakarta – While neither the International Monetary Fund (IMF) nor the World Bank prescribes a universal cap for the budget deficit or government debt for prudent fiscal management, Indonesia's thresholds for prudent fiscal management, as stipulated in the 2003 State Finance Law, were based partly on advice from the two multilateral development institutions.

Jauh Hari Wawan S, Sleman – The Gajah Mada University (UGM) academic community has issued a statement through the "Campus Accuses: Uphold Ethics and the Constitution, Strengthen Democracy" movement, in which they criticised the current state of democracy and called for the restoration of ethics and the constitution that has been ripped to shreds over for the past five years.

Jakarta – Methane emissions caused by coal-mining activities in Indonesia, the world's largest thermal coal exporter, are severely under-reported due to outdated and inaccurate measurement methods, according to a report published Tuesday.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Norwegian state pension fund has cut ties with U.K. conglomerate Jardine Matheson (Jardines) due to concerns that the group's gold mining activity in Indonesia could damage the only known habitat of the most threatened great ape in the world, the Tapanuli orangutan.

Triyono, Lampung – In West Lampung Regency, hundreds of residents set ablaze the Forest Ranger Office of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (TNBBS) in Lampung Province.

This act of arson was triggered by the community's frustration over the delayed handling of conflicts between tigers and humans, resulting in two fatalities and one injured resident.