Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The sense of deja vu is overwhelming inside the Democratic Party after chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono again lost the opportunity to appear on the ballot as a running mate in the upcoming presidential election.

Amy Heppy, Jakarta – Director General of Immigration at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, Silmy Karim, revealed the reasons behind the golden visa regulation stipulated by the Indonesian government.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology projected that Indonesia would experience a dearth in teachers, reaching 1.3 million, in 2024 in tandem with several teachers retiring.

Vanuatu Daily Post civil society correspondents have written in unison condemning the failure of the Melanesian Spearhead Group to admit West Papua as full members of the organisation at last month's leaders' summit in Port Vila.

Wijayanti Putri, Karanganyar, Central Java – Ganjar Pranowo delivered a farewell speech in front of thousands of supporters on Sunday as he is retiring from the position of Central Java governor, with five months remaining to prepare for the presidential election.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The state of Western Australia says that it wants to help make Indonesia – its close neighbor that is also abundant in nickel – one of the key players in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing, particularly its components such as batteries.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Muhaimin Iskandar was all smiles on Saturday as he delivered his acceptance speech after being officially named as the running mate for presidential candidate Anies Baswedan, marking the biggest development yet in the lead-up to the 2024 election.

Muhammed Patel, Pretoria, South Africa – At a time of mounting global pressure toward a carbon-free energy system, Indonesia remains committed to coal.

Jakarta – The long-delayed Greater Jakarta light rail transit (LRT) project has finally come into operation, four years off its original target of 2018. It will connect the capital city and suburbs such as Bekasi and Depok in West Java, which later will be extended southward to Bogor and eastward to Karawang, also in West Java.

Jakarta – Indonesia is hosting its largest annual joint military drills with the United States, Australia and other countries as tension escalates in Southeast Asia following China's latest map of the South China Sea.

Karawang, Indonesia – Some rice plants with empty husks stand among the crop on Indonesian farmer Akma Rangga's fields in West Java, which has received barely any rain since April, and must rely on irrigation channels that have nearly dried out.

Press freedom in Indonesia's predominantly Christian Papua province is now the worst in the Muslim-majority Southeast Asian nation, according to a recent survey.

Duncan Graham – An Australian academic is risking an eruption of diplomatic fury by publicly criticising Indonesia's brutal response to the Papuan independence movement, a hypersensitive topic for the governments of both countries.

Abdil Mughis Mudhoffir and Rafiqa Qurrata A'yun – Seizing on the revolutionary fervour of Indonesian Independence Day, workers from public and private universities in Indonesia declared the establishment of the Campus Workers Union (SPK) on 17 August 2023.

Akhmad Riyadh, Jakarta – The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) and KontraS Aceh condemned the alleged kidnapping and torture leading to one's death by a member of the Presidential Security Force (Paspampres), Chief Private Riswandi Malik (RM) and his accomplices in Jakarta on Thursday, August 24, 2023.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The Medan District Court on Thursday sentenced Aditya Hasibuan, the son of a recently dishonorably discharged police officer, to 18 months in prison on charges of assaulting a university student.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo confirmed that he met with NasDem Party chair Surya Paloh at the State Palace, Central Jakarta, on Thursday evening, August 31, amid the rising issue of Paloh appointing the National Awakening Party (PKB) chair Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin as vice presidential candidate for Anies Baswedan.

Antara, Jakarta – Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar disclosed in a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission IV on Thursday, August 31, that 351 industrial companies contributed to air pollution in the Greater Jakarta areas, or Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said on Thursday it will remain within the coalition that supports the candidacy of former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan for the 2024 presidential election.

This decision comes despite the Democratic Party's threats to withdraw due to a disagreement over the choice of a running mate.

Fana Suparman, Jakarta – The Democratic Party on Friday released a letter from presidential candidate Anies Baswedan requesting party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono to become his running mate for the 2024 election.

The release on social media came a day after the party slammed Anies for "betrayal" after he picked another running mate without prior consultation.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The number of international arrivals has soared by 196.85 percent to reach 6.31 million in the first seven months of the year compared to the same period last year, according to government data released on Friday.

Jakarta – A 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Timor island on Thursday, the meteorology and geophysics agency (BMKG) said on social media platform X, adding there was no potential for a tsunami.

The agency said the epicentre of the quake was on land at a depth of 75 kilometres (46.6 miles), and it was felt in Kupang, in East Nusa Tenggara.

M. Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appointed Nana Sudjana, the former chief of Metro Jaya regional police as the Acting Governor of Central Java. Nana is set to replace Ganjar Pranowo, the current governor who will step down on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

Jakarta – Chairman of the NasDem Party Surya Paloh said on Thursday that it was very likely the party's presidential candidate Anies Baswedan could have National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar as his running mate and that the decision would be formalized very soon.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The annual consumer price index (CPI) rose markedly in August, after declining for five months in a row, due to higher inflation in the transportation category, as well as food, beverages and tobacco.

Anisa Fauziah, Bogor – The Democratic Party on Friday decided an immediate withdrawal from the coalition of political parties that had been supporting former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan's candidacy for the 2024 presidential election.

Achmad Ali, Surabaya – The National Awakening Party (PKB) on Friday announced its decision to part ways with the political alliance supporting Prabowo Subianto for president and join a rival group endorsing Anies Baswedan as the 2024 presidential candidate.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) is urging central and regional governments not to show favouritism in acting against business owners that contribute to air pollution.

Jayapura, Jubi – Spokesperson of the XVII Cenderawasih Military Command Lt. Col. Inf Johanis Parinussa refuted the statement of Sebby Sambom, the spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), which claimed that the TPNPB Ndugama group had murdered an Indigenous Papuan named Michelle Kurisi Ndoga in Kimbim, Jayawijaya Regency.

Anwar Siswadi, Jakarta – Around 50 journalists from four organizations, student press, residents, and artists staged a protest in front of the Bandung Metropolitan Police headquarters today, Thursday, August 31, 2023. The protestors were condemning police violence against journalists and civilians in Bandung.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – A civil coalition for victims and people against forgetting past human rights abuses said that those who committed human rights crimes during the New Order era are not fit to hold a state position, let alone run for the upcoming presidential election.

Leader of Opposition Hon Matthew Wale has expressed disappointment with the Prime Minister's stand on the West Papua issue labelling it as 'hypocritical'.

Hon Wale said the current Prime Minister used to be a strong supporter and advocator for West Papua in the past but he has taken a 180-degree on the issue.

Riani Sanusi Putri, Jakarta – Agriculture Minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo reported on the effects of extreme drought caused by El Nino in Indonesia. The minister said rice production was reduced by 5 percent amid the phenomenon.

Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – The police recently arrested 31 people for allegedly running online gambling sites in Bali.

"They were operating gambling sites such as Hotel Slot 88, Cuan 88, Jaya Slot 28, Oscar 28, Sera 77," Adi Vivid Agustiadi Bachtiar, a director at the police's criminal investigation department, told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday.

BeritaSatu, Cikarang – US food and beverage giant PepsiCo has announced a substantial investment of $200 million to build a new snack factory in Indonesia. This move marks the company's return to the country after a four-year absence.

The factory, located in the West Java town of Cikarang, is currently under construction and is expected to become operational by 2025.

Jakarta – Weeks have gone by as the government works left and right to solve Jakarta's choking air pollution. Yet the problem seems to be worsening instead of improving.

Two and a half weeks after President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ordered measures to curb Jakarta's pollution, the quality of the air above the capital is showing little sign of changing.

Jakarta – Thousands of Indonesian and American troops began two weeks of joint exercises Thursday, joining allies from five countries in drills aimed at ensuring stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Jakarta – Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who is also the Gerindra Party's presidential candidate, visited the Presidential Palace on Thursday for a meeting with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Prabowo arrived at the palace at around 3 p.m. and was immediately escorted to a private location where he was expected to have a meeting with the President.

Neo Chai Chin and Lewa Pardomuan, East Kalimantan – As Indonesia's future capital, Nusantara, gears up to welcome its first residents in less than a year's time, some nearby villagers are praying they do not get left out in the cold or displaced without compensation.

An Australian advocacy group in support of West Papuan self-determination has criticised the Melanesian Spearhead Group leaders for failing to grant West Papua full membership in the organisation at last week's summit in Port Vila.

Lucy Cormack and Karuni Rompies – High-rise buildings in Jakarta will soon be forced to spray water mist from their rooftops as part of the government's desperate bid to tackle the toxic air pollution that has been choking the megacity for weeks.

Sebastian Strangio – The 2023 Super Garuda Shield exercise will involve 24 nations as participants or observers, including several for the first time.Indonesia will today kick off its largest-ever annual joint military drills with the United States and a host of other countries, at time of rising tension in Southeast Asian waters.

Akhmad Riyadh, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) and the Civil Society Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances demand the government ratify the bill on the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

A provincial government in West Papua has launched a campaign to promote fish consumption among school students to help overcome the condition, which is generally caused by poor nutrition.

The Antara news agency quotes governor George Yarangga saying this is an extension of a programme that has been used in other parts of Indonesia for nearly 20 years.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Democratic Party expressed strong resentment on Thursday, accusing coalition partners of treachery for choosing Muhaimin Iskandar as Anies Baswedan's running mate in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

Tazkia Royyan Hikmatiar – A 2023 Press Freedom Index (IKP) survey conducted by the Press Council found a significant decline compared to 2022, with the IKP dropping to 71.57 from 77.87 points in 2022.

Rifat Alhamidi, Bandung – Journalists from four organisations in Bandung, West Java (Jabar), held a demonstration at the Vanda Park on Thursday August 31. In their demands, they condemned the violence by police during a clash between police and Dego Elos residents on August 14.

Jakarta – Indonesian presidential hopeful Anies Baswedan has declared his intention to adopt a "values-based" foreign policy for the country if he wins the upcoming election, even as he criticises the current one under President Joko Widodo as being "transactional".

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – Resistance has been growing against a plan to erect a 100-meter-tall statue of Indonesia's founding father Sukarno in a new economic hub in West Java, as some observers have questioned the urgency and purpose of the costly project.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia – the world's largest Muslim-majority country – reported that its Sharia-compliant finance assets had totaled hundreds of billions of American dollars in value.