Anita Permata D, Fadhli Ruhman, Jakarta – Data has shown that, on average, women are only attending school for eight years or more, meaning that a large percentage of women are only finishing primary education, an Indonesian minister said.

Katharina Reny Lestari – Ten Indonesian soldiers have been named as suspects in a human trafficking case in North Sumatra province.

Allegra Mendelson, Dili, East Timor – Jose Ramos-Horta, who came out of political retirement to run for president of Southeast Asia's youngest nation a second time, has a raft of challenges as he embarks on his first full week in office.

International Labour Day 2022 was commemorated by the Labour Party as a "May Day Fiesta" at the Bung Karno Sports Stadium (GBK) in Jakarta on May 14. An estimated 30-60 thousand workers attended the fiesta. Even if the lower estimate of 30,000 is used it shows an increase in mass mobilisations.

Adhyasta Dirgantara, Jakarta – Leaders of the 1945 Indonesian Christian Party (Parkindo 1945) visited the Justice and Human Rights Ministry (Kemenkumham) today to protest the change of their party's name into the Indonesian Student Party.

Parkindo 1945 believes that the status of the Indonesian Student Party is unclear.

Antara, Jakarta – Over a dozen of houses, and kiosks located in the Dogiyai Regency in Papua went ablaze after being intentionally burned by unknown people on Sunday evening, May 22. This has forced 100 women and children to take refuge at the region's military-police post.

Yanuar Nugroho – Although President Jokowi has officially announced the date of the next Indonesian presidential election, there are important strategic and personal considerations that could tempt him to seek to remain in power.

Jayapura, Jubi TV – The Humanitarian Coalition for Papua urges the government to involve actual, meaningful participation of indigenous Papuans regarding the amendment of Special Autonomy Law and the government's plan to establish three New Autonomous Region (DOB) Bills in Papua.

Lenny Tristia Tambun, Jakarta – Parents should consider placing at least two words when giving names to their children to avoid administrative issues when they grow up, a Home Affairs Ministry official said on Monday.

Faiz Zaki, Jakarta – A recent survey conducted by Indonesian pollster Lembaga Survey Indonesia (LSI) found that 40 percent of its respondents were dissatisfied with the country's anti-corruption stance.

Jakarta – Indonesia allowed a resumption of palm oil exports from Monday after a three-week ban, but shipments were not expected to get underway until details emerge on new rules aimed at securing domestic supplies of the edible oil.

Jakarta (AFP) – Indonesia summoned Britain's ambassador on Monday (May 23) over an LGBT flag displayed at the British embassy, with Jakarta calling on foreign envoys to respect local sensitivities in a country where same-sex relationships remain taboo.

Chris Barrett, Singapore – New East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta wants Australia to back a major infrastructure drive in south-east Asia's newest nation, saying it's in the new government's strategic interest to retain a "pro-Australia, pro-Western values" near neighbour.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Health – citing a report from the Covid-19 task force – revealed that 44,099,737 people had received booster shots up until Sunday noon of May 22.

Indonesia summoned Britain's ambassador on Monday to explain the raising of an LGBT flag at its embassy and urged foreign missions to respect local "sensitivities" following a backlash among conservatives.

Indonesians may soon be a step closer to post-pandemic life, as the government says it plans to end a COVID-19 restrictions protocol the country has had to live with for over a year.

Jakarta – A rainbow flag was flown alongside the Union Jack at the British Embassy in Jakarta on May 17. A number of groups subsequently criticised the flying of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) flag.

Antara, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy said that corona virus disease (COVID-19) would be treated as an ordinary disease once the government change its status from pandemic to endemic disease.

Ryan Dagur – Timor-Leste's new president Jose Ramos-Horta has pledged to maintain democracy and peace in the Catholic-majority country stressing his commitment to defend all sections of society, including sexual minorities, regardless of ideology and religion.

Jakarta – Protesters from the Labour Movement with the People (Gebrak) brought a giant effigy of a rat wearing a tie along with a large book, flags, posters and a banner containing their demands on the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Amin to a rally in Central Jakarta today.

Fadhil Haidar Sulaeman, Jakarta – While tens of millions of Indonesians jumped at the opportunity to visit their family homes for Idul Fitri earlier this month after a two-year hiatus, the younger generation is open to parting with the tradition for the holiday break.

Jakarta (Reuters) – Long lines of trucks trying to unload palm fruit formed outside Indonesian processing mills this week, illustrating the growing cost of a palm oil export ban by the world's biggest producer.

Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – Supporters of Indonesian preacher Abdul Somad Batubara staged protests in Jakarta and Medan, North Sumatra, on Friday (May 20) against Singapore's recent move to deny him entry over his history of extremist teachings.

Jayapura, Jubi – Papuan respected figure, theologian and activist Benny Giay throws the question of why the Indonesian government has not wanted to engage in a dialogue with Papuans. Instead, the government always chooses a security approach by sending troops and police to the Land of Papua.

?Indonesia will reimpose a domestic sales requirement on palm oil, the government said on Friday, a day after the world's biggest producer of the key edible oil reversed a ban on its export.

LGBT+ rights have seemingly taken a hit lately in Indonesia amid an unsettling wave of homophobia triggered by a controversial podcast. Yet one diplomatic mission remains steadfast in reflecting its home nation's support for the marginalized community.

Jakarta – On Friday May 20 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo invited political figures from Papua and West Papua provinces to an audience at the Bogor Presidential Palace in Bogor city, West Java.

During the meeting, they discussed a number of issues including the creation of new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua.

George Heagney (Stuff) – A group of students from West Papua, the Melanesian Pacific region in Indonesia, are fearful about their futures in New Zealand after their scholarships were cut off.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – Indonesia has acknowledged that Singapore was within its right to bar the entry of Muslim preacher Abdul Somad Batubara earlier this week, a government official has said, after news of the divisive figure being excluded prompted threats of retaliation.

Jakarta – The government finally decided on Thursday to revoke the total palm oil export ban which was imposed on April 28 apparently because the draconian measure caused more damages to the economy.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – Journalists are caught in a maelstrom of proliferating false information on social media and threats to their own safety and their work, showing that freedom of the press remains precarious, especially in the region of Papua, observers say.

Putu Indah S, Nabil Ihsan – "Every drop of blood shed in the Motherland will never be forgotten; it will be remembered under the red-and-white banner."

Qadri Pratiwi, Uyu Liman, Jayapura, Papua – The Papuan People's Council (MRP) fully supports the central government's plans to establish new autonomous regions (DOB) of South Papua, Central Highlands Papua, and Central Papua to provide fair, equitable, and inclusive development.

Alex Soares with Luke Henriques-Gomes – This week, Timor-Leste celebrates 20 years of independence. On 20 May 2002, the United Nations formally handed power to the new Timorese government and, thus, to its people.

Jayapura, Jubi TV – The Papuan Customary Council of the IV Great Conference of Indigenous Papuans assessed that the government should impose restrictions on migration to the Papua land. Such restrictions can be stated in regional regulations, said Secretary-General of the Papuan Customary Council Leonard Imbiri on Saturday, May 14, 2022.

Dili (Reuters) – Timor-Leste's independence figure and Nobel laureate Jose Ramos-Horta was inaugurated as the country's fifth president on Friday (May 20), pledging to dedicate his time in office to strengthen national unity and forge closer relations with China.

Jakarta – Papua Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) Director Emanuel Gobay says that demonstrations or protest actions are regulated under Law Number 9/1998 on the Freedom to Convey an Opinion. This includes also, he added, the recent demonstrations criticising plans to create new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua.

Lisa Palmer – Timor-Leste turns 20 on the 20th of May 2022. It has a freshly minted new (and former) president, Dr Jose Ramos Horta who will be sworn into power on the same day. Fresh parliamentary elections await a date to be fixed sometime over the next 12 months.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The topic of gender equality in Indonesia took the center stage of the recent Inspiring Women 2022 conference hosted by Berita Satu Media Holdings.

Jakarta – The government has decided to lift the ban on cooking oil exports on May 23, as cooking oil supply in the domestic market improved, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo announced on Thursday.

Anita Permata, Raka Adji, Jakarta – The number of Indonesian citizens who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 has reached 166.49 million as of Thursday, according to the Ministry of Health.

Randy Mulyanto and Sophie Raynor, Jakarta, Indonesia – East Timor's president-elect won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his efforts to liberate his country, but Jose Ramos-Horta may find charting a sustainable path for one of the world's most oil-dependent nations to be his toughest challenge yet.

The former Portuguese colony, which became independent from Indonesia in 2002 after 24 years of occupation, marked the occasion with a concert and fireworks for

Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara – Rescuers were battling to free a ferry with more than 800 passengers Wednesday after it ran aground in shallow waters off the coast of the country's southernmost province, a local official said.

M Zulfikar, Fadhli Ruhman, Jakarta – The resolution of cases involving gross human rights violations from the past relies on political will, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Ahmad Taufan Damanik has said.

"I believe that what is most crucial is the political will of a president," he noted here on Thursday.

Dili – Former Timor-Leste independence fighter and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta was to be sworn in as the president of Asia's youngest country on Thursday night as it marks its 20th anniversary of independence.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – A 100-year-old Portuguese Jesuit priest who has spent more than half his life working in Timor-Leste has been awarded the country's highest honor.

Father Joao Felgueiras, who turns 101 next month, was one of several people to be awarded the Order of Timor-Leste by President Francisco Guterres on May 18.

Jakarta – The United Indonesia Coalition, which is made up of the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP) claims that it will continue the development of the President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo era in the next period.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The alert level for North Sumatra's Mount Sinabung has been lowered from siaga (watch), or level three of the country's four-tiered alert system, to level two, waspada (advisory). The volcano had been on level three for three years.

Perennial flooding in Jakarta caused by climate change, heavy rainfall and ongoing groundwater extraction uproots lives and disrupts communities – most recently in December when the city's rivers last swelled. Some areas in the sprawling metropolis of 10.5 million people are sinking at a rate of close to eight inches a year.