Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesia has among the highest number of active coronavirus cases in the region, totaling 60,054 on Thursday or 22.9 percent of total cases, as the daily rise again set a new high.

Yudha Baskoro, Jakarta – With no more self-isolation, hotels are getting ready to quarantine asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has banned patients from self-isolating at home because many have ignored health protocols and thus causing household clusters.

Jakarta – Tabernacle Bible Church of Indonesia (GKII) Synod Chairperson Daniel Ronda admits to being disappointed that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has yet to respond to the shooting of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani, who was shot dead near his residence in the Hitadipa district of Intan Jaya regency in Papua on Saturday September 19.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Researchers from the Yogyakarta Gadjah Mada University (UGM) announced that it has developed a COVID-19 detector dubbed the "GeNose" that is claimed to be able to detect the virus through the subject's breath.

Chris Pleasance – A convicted child rapist was whipped until he collapsed in the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh under the province's strict Sharia Laws.

The man, named only as Roni in local reports, was due to be hit 169 times with a rattan cane in a public building on Thursday, but fell down after 52 strikes.

Jakarta – As many as 290 farmer, fisherpeople, student, labour and environmental organisations have united to reject the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation – which is still being deliberated by the House of Representatives (DPR).

Adam Prireza, Jakarta – Head of the East Jakarta Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) Budhy Novian said that during the nine days of 'Operation Yustisi', 14 office areas violated health protocols. These companies are given a three-day closure punishment.

Budhy said most of the violators are non-essential companies located in business districts.

Helena Kobagau and Haeril Halim, Timika – With the coronavirus devastating jobs across the country, desperate Indonesians are flocking to illegal gold mines as the soaring price of the precious metal overrides the risk to their lives and the environment.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has seen a 50 percent decrease in its blood supply amid rising demand and fewer blood donations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization's head Jusuf Kalla said.

"The PMI's blood stock has decreased 50 percent, even though the demand for blood is rising," Kalla said on Tuesday as reported by kompas.com.

Jakarta – The National Standardization Agency (BSN) has issued the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) for cloth face masks, which requires them to have at least two layers of fabric for extra protection in filtering out respiratory droplets.

Sausan Atika, Jakarta – In February last year, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced that his administration would gradually take over the city's water management from the private operators that have operated in the capital for more than 20 years.

Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman, Jakarta – Indonesia needs to address corruption to improve public services so that the job creation omnibus bill can bring about the significant changes necessary to attracting investment, experts say.

Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie, Jakarta – The national COVID-19 task force has dismissed a proposal to redefine what constitutes a COVID-19 fatality, after it was suggested that deaths among people with comorbidities should be categorized separately in the official tally.

Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – Bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and France remains strong amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The two countries will finalize several bilateral cooperations in the energy sector, Indonesian Ambassador to France Arrmanatha Nasir says.

Jakarta – Berau Regent H. Muharram died on Tuesday evening after undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at Pertamina Hospital in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan.

Muharram was admitted to the hospital on Sept. 9. On the same day, he tested positive for COVID-19 after taking a swab test, which is one of the health requirements that regional election candidates need to fulfill.

Rizki Fachriansyah, Jakarta – The government has determined that the country's food estate will be primarily developed in Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra, bringing the program closer to fruition amid concerns over a food crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rizki Fachriansyah, Jakarta – The Health Ministry has called on the public to use only masks that actually protect them against the coronavirus, explaining that not all masks are made equal.

Jakarta – Research and Technology Minister and National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) head Bambang Brodjonegoro has said the ministry is developing COVID-19 test kits to improve screening for the virus.

The ministry has launched 60 medical devices since May and is now developing a rapid antibody test kit and a rapid antigen, or swab test, kit.

West Papuan students petitioning the Indonesian government against Special Autonomy plans have come up against police blockades in the city of Manado.

A large public demonstration launched by the students was forcibly broken up by police in the province of North Sulawesi.

Who isn't on TikTok these days? Well, the staff of Indonesia's Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) may have to hop off the video-sharing app after a lawmaker suggested that they be forbidden from using TikTok in light of a missed investment opportunity.

Erric Permana, Jakarta, Indonesia – Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission will investigate Saturday's shooting death of a pastor in Papua, eastern Indonesia, the commission's head has announced.

TAPOL condemns the killing of Pastor Yeremia Zanambani, a church leader from Hitadipa District, Intan Jaya Regency, Papua Province. It has been reported that Pastor Zanambani was killed by members of the Indonesian military (TNI) on Saturday, 19th of September. Pastor Zanambani was found dead near his pig pen, 300 meters from his home, with bullet and stab wounds.

Jakarta – The Bekasi COVID-19 task force has reported that 869 factory workers have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak.

Task force member Alamsyah said confirmed cases had been detected in 46 companies following contract-tracing in the area.

Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – Nine provinces and 50 cities and regencies that plan to hold simultaneous local elections in December are highly vulnerable to COVID-19-related disruptions, the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) said on Tuesday.

Ivany Atina Arbi, Jakarta – Indonesia saw a one-day record of 4,465 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 257,388 nationwide, government data shows.

More than 4,000 new COVID-19 cases have been reported per day since Monday. At least 9,977 people have succumbed to the disease so far, and 187,958 have recovered.

Ardila Syakriah, Jakarta – In Indonesia, government officials would boast about the country's COVID-19 recovery rate as they try to suppress the rising number of deaths.

But missing from the conversations are COVID-19 survivors who have to live with symptoms long after being cleared of the coronavirus infection. They are known as COVID-19 long-haulers.

Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has voiced its distrust over the National Police's move to repurpose a private security apparatus dubbed Pam Swakarsa, arguing that the force has a checkered record when it comes to accountability and resolving violations committed by its officers.

Jakarta – Prosecutors mentioned the names of Attorney General ST Burhanuddin and former Supreme Court chief justice Hatta Ali on Wednesday in their indictment against prosecutor Pinangki Sirna Malasari, who is accused of assisting graft convict Djoko Soegiarto Tjandra during his time as a fugitive from the law.

Jakarta – The National Agrarian Reform Committee (KNPA) has recorded at least 35 cases of agrarian conflicts between March and September 2020 or since the Covid-19 pandemic started in Indonesia. Based on the KNPA's records, these conflicts range from land grabs, forced evictions, intimation to arrests.

In the latest bid to revive the local economy and tourism sector in Bali, government officials yesterday announced an upcoming program aimed at raising awareness on health protocols and promoting the popular holiday destination, titled "We Love Bali."

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – Low-cost carrier Lion Air on Wednesday's webinar says it supports the idea of increasing passenger quota back to 100 percent amidst the government's pandemic-related physical restriction which curbs carriers to carry passengers only 70 percent of its total capacity.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – The Indonesian Traditional Fishermen (KNTI) secretary, Ling Rohimin, in a virtual discussion on Wednesday said that the Indonesian government has yet allocated sufficient budget for micro-scale fishermen and their welfare.

Ivany Atina Arbi, Jakarta – The government has committed to providing periodic COVID-19 tests for health professionals working closely with coronavirus patients.

Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman, Jakarta – House of Representatives Commission IV approved on Monday a vastly increased Agriculture Ministry budget that is aimed at supporting the national economic recovery from the slump caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Jakarta – The Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Police have received a report from a woman who says she was extorted and sexually harassed while undergoing a rapid COVID-19 test at the airport.

The woman submitted the report after the airport police's criminal investigation unit visited her in Bali on Monday.

M. Taufiqurrahman and Galih Gumelar, Jakarta – With rising concerns that political campaigning in the lead-up to the regional elections could become super-spreader events for COVID-19, a senior government official has said that security authorities will crack down on campaign activities found to be in violation of social-distancing rules.

Randy Mulyanto – Since Indonesia's capital Jakarta reimposed social-distancing restrictions last Monday, motorcycle ride-hailing driver Yosef has seen his daily income decrease by more than 80 per cent – some days, he only takes home around 50,000 rupiah (US$3.40).

Tri Indah Oktavianti, Jakarta – The State Palace has maintained that Indonesia will hold the 2020 regional elections on Dec. 9, amid mounting calls from various parties for the race to be postponed as the coronavirus pandemic shows no signs of letting up.

Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Four more victims and witnesses have come forward and made a report after the Depok Police in West Java reopened a year-old investigation into a case of sexual abuse of orphanage boys, allegedly committed by their sole guardian, a Catholic brother.

Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – The Home Ministry and election organizers have agreed to revise a General Elections Commission (KPU) regulation (PKPU) to ensure COVID-19 health protocols are followed during this year's regional elections.

Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie, Jakarta – Floods have inundated several parts of Jakarta due to heavy rainfall that occurred in the capital and its upstream areas on Monday. The authorities have also alerted residents near the Ciliwung riverbanks to stay cautious.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano and Ardila Syakriah, Jakarta – The government is facing mounting pressure to postpone the regional elections this December amid concerns about greater COVID-19 transmission across the country, as officials prepare even stricter curbs.

Arya Dipa and Tri Indah Oktavianti, Bandung – A flash flood on Monday has left at least two people dead, 20 others injured and hundreds more displaced in Sukabumi, West Java.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Entrepreneur and former Jakarta deputy governor Sandiaga Uno has joined the campaign team for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's son-in-law Bobby Afif Nasution and running mate Aulia Rachman ahead of the mayoral race in Medan, North Sumatra later this year.

Jakarta – Presiding judge Johanis Hehamony said Hanny was found guilty of violating Article 82 of the Child Protection Law.

"We declare the defendant Hanny Layantara guilty and sentence him to 10 years in prison and order him to pay Rp 100 million in fines or serve an additional six months in prison," Johanis said on Monday as reported by kompas.com.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – Indonesia's state budget deficit swelled in August on the back of falling state revenue collection and increased government spending aimed at stimulating an economy reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.

Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – The National COVID-19 task force has urged the election organizers to prohibit direct campaign rallies in the upcoming simultaneous regional elections and turn to online or broadcasted campaigns instead to curb the coronavirus transmission during the elections slated to take place on Dec. 9.

Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie, Jakarta – Former Riau governor and graft convict Annas Maamun has been discharged from the Sukamiskin penitentiary in Bandung, West Java, following clemency granted by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo last year.

Jakarta – In a strange turn of events, the Indonesian Air Force has said the rumbling noises that rattled Jakarta over the weekend originated from a ceremony held at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta.

Jakarta – Azyumardi Azra, a prominent Muslim scholar and a professor at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN Jakarta), has publicly announced that he would be a nonvoter in the December regional elections.