Jakarta – Gerindra Party deputy chief patron Sandiaga Uno has said that he will discuss with party leader Prabowo Subianto the aspirations of the United Development Party (PPP), following that party's nomination of Sandiaga as a potential candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

Medan, North Sumatra – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, who has long been known as a rock fan, over the weekend joined the crowd who gathered at a convention center in Medan, North Sumatra, to see the live performance of legendary rock band Dewa 19, who is currently on a reunion tour.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – Youth-led environmental group the Antheia Project says that Styrofoam is yet another dangerous waste that has not been properly addressed, being widely used but with little to no waste processing, leaving large amounts degraded in nature and found on beaches.

Vitorio Mantalean, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has warned that establishing additional regional military commands (Kodam) in the five new Papuan provinces will only worsen the humanitarian situation in the land of the Cenderawasih, as Papua is known.

Hariz Baharudin, Jakarta – Indonesia's tech players big and small have not been spared from the global trend of layoffs in the sector. Here are some retrenchments in the past year:

GoTo

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Two sun bears were injured after being trapped on sling wire traps in Mount Leuser National Park. One of the bears had to have one of its legs amputated due to the injury.

Antara, Jakarta – The domestic workers' protection bill (PPRT bill) seeks to provide legal certainty to several parties, especially domestic workers and employers, according to the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM).

Jakarta – Copper and gold mining company Freeport Indonesia said on Sunday torrential rains have triggered a mudslide that swept through some parts of its mine in Tembagapura, Mimika Regency, Papua, and halted operations.

The rain on Saturday also damaged roads at the mining site, Freeport CEO Tony Wenas said in a statement.

Zsazya Senorita, Jakarta – Indonesia has more crypto users than the total number of individual investors at the Indonesia Stock Exchange or IDX, but the country is still lacking a safe place for digital asset exchange despite repeated promises from the government to adopt the so-called crypto bourse, an analyst said on Friday.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has called for better safeguards for civilian flights into Papua after the recent abduction of a New Zealand pilot by rebel fighters, as a joint security team continues its search in the mountainous jungle region beset by conflict.

Dirk Tomsa – On 11 January 2023, the Indonesian president made international headlines when he acknowledged that several cases of gross human rights violations had occurred in Indonesia since the 1960s. He expressed regret that these atrocities had occurred and indicated he would initiate compensation for the victims of the state-sanctioned violence.

Yogyakarta, Jubi – At least 700 residents fled to four different locations after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. This was stated by the Acting Head of the Center for Disaster Data, Information and Communication of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Abdul Muhari through a written statement on Thursday.

Jayapura, Jubi – Director of Jayapura's Dok 2 Regional General Hospital Anton Mote said about 300 inpatients were evacuated from the hospital after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. They are now being treated in tents set up on the hospital grounds.

Defence Minister Richard Marles and his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto made the announcement after holding talks in Canberra.

In a joint statement, the two ministers said they had instructed officials to begin negotiations to "elevate" the existing defence cooperation pact between the two countries to "an agreement that is binding under international law".

Jakarta – Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Adm. Yudo Margono has ordered his troops to take the President's order to combat forest fires seriously, even if it involved asking the help of local dukun, or shamans.

Tunggul Wirajuda, Jakarta – The clattering of lato-lato (clackers) has become unstoppable with the toy now a hit with millions of Indonesians, from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to schoolchildren nationwide, as it makes a comeback after nearly three decades

Jakarta – Indonesia has long been considered to be on the periphery of the Muslim world, which has for centuries been represented by Arabic-speaking Gulf countries.

Yerica Lai, Jakarta – Support for Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's eldest son, to follow in his father's footsteps is growing, with the Golkar Party hinting that it would back him to run in a gubernatorial race in 2024.

Yerica Lai and A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – Authorities have deployed a joint team to evacuate a foreign pilot who was allegedly taken hostage by separatist fighters in the restive Papua region on Tuesday, after their commercial plane was set on fire upon landing safely in the remote regency of Nduga.

Lily McCure, Jakarta – The decline of Indonesian language education in Australian institutions is raising concerns about the potential impact on future relations between the neighboring countries.

"This is what we are doing and Rp1.7 trillion investment for PIM.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – The Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Thursday asserted that the second booster vaccination for adults is still free of charge nationwide.

"You can check the information about it at the PeduliLindungi app," said the Minister in a written statement on February 9.

Ade Ridwan Yandwiputra, Jakarta – The Environment and Forestry Ministry in a press statement on Thursday said they are committed to fighting environmental crimes after they still find illegal mining businesses operating without official government permits.

Camellia Webb-Gannon – "Phil Mehrtens is the nicest guy, he genuinely is – no one ever had anything bad to say about him", says a colleague of the New Zealand pilot taken hostage this week by members of the West Papuan Liberation Army (TPN-PB) in the mountainous Nduga Regency.

Nirmala Maulana Achmad, Jakarta – Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman says that every province in Indonesia will have a regional military command (Kodam) headquarters.

This includes establishing regional military commands in the four new provinces in Papua, namely the provinces of South Papua, Central Papua, Papua Highlands and South-West Papua.

Yogi Ernes, Jakarta – Non-active Papua governor Lukas Enembe has spoken out about the issue of Free Papua Organisation (OPM) figure Benny Wenda coming to his defense and allegations that money from his alleged corruption has flowed to the OPM.

Jakarta – Nickel miner PT Vale Indonesia broke ground on a 37.5 trillion rupiah ($2.48 billion) ferronickel smelter Sulawesi island on Friday, an Indonesian senior minister said.

The Bahodopi project will produce ferronickel with 73,000 to 80,000 tonnes of nickel content per year, Vale has said.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif on Friday announced that the government will enact an export ban on gold, which will be done gradually. He said this strategy is needed to open up more job opportunities and attract more workers.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif said that Indonesia's oil reserve is expected to only last between 9 to 10 years.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – Director of the Indonesian Bureau of Logistics (Buloag) Budi Waseso, admitted that he had received reports concerning rice smuggling to Timor Leste. The rice was smuggled to neighboring countries through Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara. In Timor Leste, the smuggled rice are being sold at Rp20,000 per kilogram.

Naufal Ridhwan, Jakarta – A spokesperson for one of Indonesia's most notorious separatist groups known as the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) Free Papua Movement (OPM), Sebby Sambom, in a written statement on February 7, explained the reason behind the recent hostage situation.

Anita Permata, Raka Adji, Jakarta – Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga stated that cases of online gender-based violence were rising in line with the increase in the number of internet users.

When Amanda Wamblolo was young, she never had any difficulties finding food.

Len Garae – Former Vanuatu Prime Minister (PM) Joe Natuman says allowing Indonesia (by former Prime Minister Mr. Sato Kilman) into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) was a mistake.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Damal Student Association in Beoga District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province, has asked the local government to pay attention to the needs of the community regarding health services.

Maire Leadbeater – Sadly, however, it has taken the devastating hostage ordeal of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens to focus our attention on this hidden conflict in our region.

The hostage-taking occurred in the remote mountainous region of Nduga, an area which has been a war zone since late 2018.

Lydia Lewis – A researcher at Human Rights Watch in Jakarta is calling for the immediate release of the hostages including a New Zealand pilot being held by a rebel group in Indonesia's Papua region.

The rebels in Highland Papua are threatening to execute Susi Air pilot Phillip Mehrtens if their demands are not met.

Jakarta – The government is drafting a regulation allowing media outlets to receive payments from digital platforms or aggregators that carry their content, the Press Council said on Thursday.

Oliver Dixon, Jakarta – Poland is seeking to attract more Indonesian students to boost bilateral relationships while offering a cultural exchange, according to Polish Ambassador to Indonesia Beata Stoczynska.

Jakarta – As representatives from media companies, politicians and government officials including President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo gather in Medan, North Sumatra, on Thursday to celebrate National Press Day, the truth of the matter is there is little cheer for members of the media this year.

Pudja Lestari & Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Wednesday set a target for the presidential regulation on publishers' rights to be rolled out in a month.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Slow growth in gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), or investment, points to problems in the real sector, analysts say, though they disagree on how big an issue that is for Indonesia's economy.

I want to offer my deepest sympathies to the friends and family of the New Zealand pilot taken hostage in Nduga. At the same time, the ULMWP Executive reiterates and reassures the New Zealand government and the world that we are to a peaceful, diplomatic approach.

Henry Jom – In a show of friendship, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reaffirmed the country's enduring relationship with Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, during a visit by the island nation's prime minister and his delegation on Feb. 8.

Jakarta (Agencies) – At least four people were killed Thursday when an earthquake struck the capital of Papua and crumpled a waterfront restaurant, officials said.

The 5.1-magnitude quake hit around 1.28 pm (0628 GMT) on land just southwest of Jayapura city at a depth of 22 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.

Emily Dugan – A British recruitment agency that brought Indonesian farmworkers to the UK who had debts of thousands of pounds to foreign brokers has lost its licence as a seasonal worker sponsor.

More than 1,450 Indonesians were brought to Britain last year by AG Recruitment to pick berries and other fruits to supply British supermarkets.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investments Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on Wednesday revealed that the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has completed concocting the plan to increase Borobudur Temple's entry fee.

Maria Fransisca Lahur, Jakarta – The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) gathered data from 2018-2022 calculating the humanitarian and financial losses caused by hydrometeorological disasters. The losses from damages to houses and resident facilities reach Rp31.5 trillion.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in commemoration of the 2023 National Press Day in North Sumatra acknowledged that his presidential status is the result of his relationship with the press.

Jayapura, Jubi – As of Tuesday night, February 7, 2023, Indonesian security forces did not know the whereabouts of Philips Max Marthin, a Susi Air pilot who was taken hostage by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).