Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – The government's attitude toward the country's human rights issues remains avoidant and contradictory to reality, activists said on Monday, after last week's International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) session in Geneva, Switzerland, put Indonesia on the defensive.

Jakarta – Indonesian hospital ship KRI Dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat has completed its mission of sending humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, arriving in Jakarta on Friday.

Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – The neutrality of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in the 2024 presidential election has been highlighted by the UN Human Rights Committee. The reason being because Widodo's son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was able to run as a vice presidential candidate.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – Climate change and global warming are predicted to have a severe impact on Kalimantan.

Herdiansyah Hamzah, a researcher at Mulawarman University, suspects that this move could be an attempt by the KPK to improve its image after recent internal corruption cases, including the alleged extortion of Syahr

Maria Gabrielle, Jakarta – Police admitted on Monday that they faced challenges in unraveling the circumstances surrounding the deaths of a couple and their two teenage children who jumped from the roof of a Jakarta apartment earlier this month.

Jakarta – Solikah, a housewife living in the fishing village of Teluk, was in tears as she pointed to piles of trash strewn on a beach close to her home of 40 years.

Teluk, located in Banten on the western edge of Java island, has one of the country's dirtiest beaches as villagers said that heavy rain has led to stronger tides, bringing more trash to shore.

Ruth Dea Juwita, Jakarta – The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has announced areas permitted for sea sand mining, inviting businesses to apply for licenses to conduct the activity in those locations.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Indonesian House of Representatives' Legislative Body and the government has agreed to change the rules for the Jakarta Gubernatorial election.

Instead of requiring a 50+1 majority vote, the election will now be decided in a single-round election where the candidate with the majority vote is declared the winner.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) is currently probing a report from the Finance Ministry concerning alleged corruption involving the Indonesian Export Financing Agency (LPEI), also known as Indonesia Eximbank, totaling more than Rp 5 trillion ($318,5 million).

Jakarta – A number of groups that make up the civil society coalition consider the Indonesian government through its delegation provided contradictory information on the state of Indonesia's human rights at an International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) hearing in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday March 12.

Antara, Jakarta – Chairperson of the House Budget Committee Said Abdullah has urged the government to ensure that its social assistance programs can reduce people's economic pressure as the prices of several staple goods remain high.

Jakarta – The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry aims to attract 1.5 million tourists from China this year, around double last year's figure.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) is racing to finish its tiered vote tabulation of last month's general election after sluggish progress in several provinces, including West Java, has cast doubt over the poll body's ability to meet its March 20 deadline.

Thomas Rizal, Bandung – Comedian Alfiansyah Bustami, popularly known as Komeng, was confirmed Monday as one of four elected senators from West Java, securing a remarkable 5.4 million votes in the Feb. 14 election.

His vote tally is nearly double that of presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo's count in Indonesia's most populous province.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – Most political parties automatically extend the term of their chairman if they have performed well in a general election. Yet, this rule does not seem to apply to Golkar, which, under chairman Airlangga Hartarto, saw its tally of votes increase in last month's legislative election to come second.

Jakarta – A number of civil society groups have criticised the move by the government which is planning to allow active Indonesian military (TNI) and police (Polri) officers to fill state civil service (ASN) positions.

Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) Executive Director Gufron Mabruri is urging President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to cancel the discourse.

Sarjan Lahay, South Kulawi, Indonesia – In a forested valley in the interior of Sulawesi Island, Elisabet Heta gathers up a clutch of farming tools used by the Moa Indigenous people and leaves home.

"I want to go to the pampa," Elisabet told Mongabay Indonesia, before the mother of four set out for the fields here in Sigi district, Central Sulawesi province.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani met Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin at the Attorney General's Office, South Jakarta on Monday, March 18, 2024. Sri Mulyani submitted a report on alleged corruption at the Indonesian Export Financing Institution (Indonesia Eximbank) worth Rp2.5 trillion.

Jakarta – Indonesians will have to pay more for most goods they buy in 2025 once the government increases value-added tax (VAT) to 12 percent in 2025, from the current 11 percent.

The planned new rate will apply to the clothes you buy, the restaurants you choose to eat at, the video games you will play or the Netflix subscription you decide to pay out for, all in 2025.

Jakarta – Two Indonesian nationals working for a South Korea-Indonesia fighter jet program in Seoul have been ordered not to leave the country as authorities investigate a suspected leak of technology from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

Septia Ryanthie, Jakarta – Vice presidential candidate number 2 Gibran Rakabuming Raka ensures that his father, President Joko Widodo or Jokowi, will not interfere in Prabowo-Gibran's cabinet talks if the pair is elected. Gibran assures that the arrangement of ministerial positions will only be carried out by Prabowo Subianto.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) of Indonesia has disclosed that micro and small-scale businesses in Jakarta are encountering challenges in disbursing Eid bonuses (THR).

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – Arief Prasetyo Adi, the Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), defended his decision to raise the maximum retail price (HET) of premium rice to ensure sufficient rice stocks in the market.

Isnaya Helmi, Jakarta – A demonstration by a number of protesters in front of the General Elections Commission (KPU) offices in Menteng, Central Jakarta, has continued into the night on Monday March 18.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) stated that he is still reviewing the evaluation or revision of Minister of Trade Regulation Number 36 of 2023 concerning the Import Policy.

Irsyan Hasyim (Contributor), Jakarta – High-intensity rains that lashed Central Java on March 16 caused six dams to burst, flooding several districts in Demak.

The Wulan River embankment, which is located on the border of Demak and Kudus Regencies, also broke again on March 17. Previously, the embankment broke after the flood in early February 2024.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's capital of Jakarta is in need of long-term plans that might require 20 years of implementation for it to emerge as a world-class business metropolis, stated the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia.

Saifulbahri Ismail, Jakarta – Indonesia's presidential election may be over, but demonstrations against the unofficial results continue.

Policemen have been deployed in front of Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) to ensure that such protests do not turn violent.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The electric vehicle (EV) battery plant, which lies in the West Javan regency of Karawang, will begin commercial production this April, according to Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia.

Whisnu Bagus Prasetyo, Jakarta – The government is in the process of developing a scheme to provide soft loans for university students from low-income and middle-income families who do not receive financial assistance from the state, an official said on Monday.

Max Lane – A popular documentary about ten exiles has had an extraordinary run in Indonesia, not least because it sings a different tune from the official historical narrative about the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) and its supporters, perpetuated since the Suharto era.

Jakarta – Ports across Java and Sumatra have been bustling with activity as cargo ships arrive carrying bags of milled rice from neighboring countries since the beginning of this month.

In the past week alone, two vessels from Thailand and Myanmar docked at Probolinggo Port in East Java, bringing a combined total of 8,200 tons of rice.

Yustinus Paat & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, who teamed up with the president's son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as his running mate, has emerged victorious in 30 out of 32 provinces that have certified their results from the Feb. 14 election as of Sunday.

Johannes Nugroho – Siswanto Cokro, a grandfather of three, was surprised to hear about the declining number of registered marriages in Indonesia over the last few years, a trend which has put the government on alert for fear of "undesirable consequences" on the economy.

Antara, Jakarta – Airlangga Hartarto, the Chairman of the Golkar Party, is advocating for a minimum of five ministerial positions in the upcoming cabinet led by Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as the pair are likely to emerge victorious in the 2024 Presidential Election.

Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office is investigating alleged corruption over tin mining permits in Bangka Belitung. The investigation must also reveal the backers.

Indah Handayani, Jakarta – Fitch Ratings has affirmed Indonesia's credit rating at 'BBB' with a stable outlook. Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI), Perry Warjiyo, stated that the rating reflects strong international stakeholders' confidence in macroeconomic stability.

Dani Prabowo, Jakarta – The criminal case files on a defendant in the 2004 murder of renowned human rights activist Munir Said Talib, former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Deputy Muchdi Purwoprandjono or Muchdi PR, are considered to be enough evidence to declare the Munir's murder as a gross human rights violation.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Corruption watchdog Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) urged the General Election Commission (KPU) to disclose details on the identity of donators of campaign funds listed in the Campaign Fund Income and Donation Report (LPSDK) of the 2024 election candidates.

Monique Handa Shafira, Jakarta – The Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) has issued a stern warning to seven airlines against unjustified price hikes before Eid al-Fitr.

Windarto, Jakarta – The Ministry of Communication and Informatics has officially reached out to Biznet, an internet operator, seeking clarification regarding an alleged data breach compromising 380,000 records on the dark web. The leaked information encompasses personal details such as names, emails, national ID numbers, tax ID numbers, phone numbers, and addresses.

Celvin Sipahutar, Jakarta – The three political parties that nominated Anies Baswedan for the presidency will maintain their collaboration for the Jakarta gubernatorial election in November, with a strong likelihood of his securing the nomination again.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia and Sri Lanka on Thursday launched the negotiations for a preferential trade agreement (PTA) after waiting since 2017.

Deputy Trade Minister Jerry Sambuaga and Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Tharaka Balasuriya launched the negotiations virtually from their respective countries.

Celvin Sipahutar, Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati confirmed on Friday that financial bonuses for civil servants nationwide will be paid in full, amounting to Rp 99.5 trillion ($6.4 billion).

These additional payments encompass both the Ramadan bonus and the so-called 13th salary, covering both basic salaries and benefits.

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – Head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Dwikorita Karnawati predicted that the start of the dry season in most parts of Indonesia this year will be delayed compared to previous years. The peak of the dry season in 2024 is predicted to remain in July and August.

Suherdjoko, Semarang – The city of Semarang in Central Java has been inundated following torrential rain on Wednesday and Thursday.

Traffic was stopped on a stretch of the Northern Coast Highway in Kaligawe, Gayamsari district, with waters reaching more than a meter deep.

Jakarta – Jokowi is taking Indonesia right back to the start of the Reformasi era. The right of inquiry could be a way to save democracy.

Icha Rastika, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) asked about the case dossier on the results of an investigation by the Fact Finding Team (TPF) that looked into the 2004 assassination of renewed human rights defender Munir Said Talib when it questioned Usman Hamid on Friday March 15.

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detained 15 employees including a warden on Friday for allegedly taking bribes from inmates. The mass detention of its own employees marks an unprecedented move never happened before in KPK's history.