Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday renewed his pledge to crack down on food cartels that distort national food distribution for profit, saying their actions cost Indonesia up to Rp 100 trillion ($6.1 billion) every year.

Jakarta – As an oil trader who has done business under every regime, Mohammad Riza Chalid seemed to be above the law. His name has repeatedly been mentioned in connection with irregularities relating to Pertamina oil imports, but the tycoon, known as the Indonesian "gasoline godfather," has always avoided being questioned.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Daikin has begun mass distribution of its first locally manufactured residential air conditioners from its new West Java factory.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to provide free medical treatment for the poor if the state budget allows. He emphasized, however, that the plan remains an aspiration due to current financial limitations.

Shinta Maharani, Yogyakarta – The Student Executive Board of Diponegoro University (Undip) in Semarang announced its withdrawal from the All-Indonesian People's Student Executive Board (BEM SI) Alliance due to the presence of politicians, regional officials, police officers, and State Intelligence Agency (BIN) officials at the national conference held at Dharma Andalas University, P

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has voiced concern over deceptive practices by several entrepreneurs involved in rice adulteration, calling them serious violations that contribute to rising rice prices.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto remarked that there is a growing trend of people who believe they are highly intelligent. According to him, this sense of self-assuredness often leads individuals to comment on a wide range of issues.

Rizky Hidayat, Banyuwangi, E – Java. The search operation for victims of the KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya ferry that sank in the Bali Strait has officially ended on Monday, July 21, after a week-long extension.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia's oil lifting reached 578,000 barrels per day in the first half of 2025, which is about 95.5 percent of this year's target of 605,000 barrels per day, according to the country's upstream oil and gas regulator, SKK Migas.

Muhammad Ghafur Fadillah, Jakarta – The number of investors in Indonesia's capital market rose to 17 million by the end of June 2025, up from 14.87 million at the end of 2024 and 12.17 million at the end of 2023, reflecting a 40 percent growth in just 18 months.

Antara, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto claimed that Indonesia's national development is currently on the right track. He also refuted the circulating narrative of a 'dark Indonesian economy,' highlighting that investment achievements have exceeded expectations, and both poverty and unemployment rates have declined.

Ni Made Tasyarani, Jakarta – Indonesia is among the top countries globally in the number of artificial intelligence users but lags far behind in AI development, revealing a yawning digital talent gap.

Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Nezar Patria acknowledged that Indonesia is struggling to realize its full AI potential.

Jakarta – The Bali provincial administration plans to ban the production of small plastic packaging, or sachet, starting in 2026 as a response to suggestions from environmentalists after banning the production of under-1-liter bottled water.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto claimed that corruptors pay the masses for demonstrations under the titles 'Dark Indonesia' (Indonesia Gelap) and 'Let's Flee First' (Kabur Aja Dulu). These corruptors want Indonesia to remain in turmoil.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – The Executive Board of the All-Indonesian Student Association (BEM SI) has announced plans for a nationwide demonstration. Muzammil Ihsan, the Central Coordinator of BEM SI, stated that this action is a response to numerous government policies perceived as unfavorable to the people.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Transport Workers Union (SPAI) is calling on the government to swiftly regulate the pricing scheme for food and beverage deliveries via online motorcycle taxi (ojol) platforms. The demand follows concerns over the substantial deductions taken by platforms from drivers' earnings.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has introduced a new term to criticize those he sees as excessively greedy in the pursuit of profit. He called it serakahnomics.

Melynda Dwi Puspita, Jakarta – Tens of thousands of online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers from Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) are staging a demonstration today, Monday, July 21, 2025, in the Patung Kuda area, Central Jakarta.

The rally is organized by Garda Indonesia, an association representing ojol drivers.

Responding to President Prabowo Subianto's statement that the Indonesia Gelap (Dark Indonesia) protests in February 2025 were financed by corruptors, Amnesty International Indonesia Deputy Director Wirya Adiwena said:

Jakarta – A speedboat carrying 18 passengers capsized in the waters of Mentawai Islands regency, West Sumatra, on Monday, an incident that once again underscored Indonesia's ongoing struggles with maritime safety.

Jakarta – Three people died and more than 500 others were rescued after a ferry caught fire off the northern coast of Sulawesi Island, emergency officials said Monday.

Passengers jumped overboard with lifejackets after the fire broke out on Sunday at the stern of the KM Barcelona 5, as it sailed to Manado, according to the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla).

Max Lane – Living in Australia, one sees almost every week a news report about some event or other in Bali, Indonesia's primary tourist destination. Bali is only 6 or 7 hours flight from cities like Sydney or Melbourne, in less than from Perth in West Australia. In 2023, 1.2 million Australians holidayed in Bali. Statistics point to similar mor more for 2024 and 2025 as well.

Solo – President Prabowo Subianto has again touched on the wave of demonstrations in early 2025. He accused the actions of being fabricated by those who wanted make Indonesia fail.

Bukittinggi, West Sumatra – Authorities monitoring Mount Marapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, have reported a string of equipment thefts that have compromised early warning systems on parts of the mountain.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – As uncertainty clouds the status of Nusantara Capital City (IKN), Indonesia's NasDem Party proposes a temporary moratorium on the new capital city development.

Saan Mustopa, the NasDem Party deputy chair who submitted the proposal, urges the government to issue a moratorium on IKN if the project cannot yet be established as the new capital.

Jakarta – Minister of Culture Fadli Zon stated that Indonesia holds the potential to become the world's cultural capital through its diverse cultural expressions, including traditional cuisine, local arts, traditional games, and more recently, the increasingly popular pacu jalur rowing tradition.

Wijayanti Putri, Theressia Sunday Silalahi, Solo, Central Java – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto paid a visit to his predecessor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Sunday to personally report a diplomatic milestone: the conclusion of a decade-long free trade negotiation with the European Union.

Ary Hermawan – On Friday, 18 July 2025, the Jakarta Corruption Court sentenced former trade minister Thomas Lembong to 4.5 years in prison for his role in a corruption case centering on the import of raw sugar in 2015.

Djibril Muhammad, Jakarta – Indonesia has certified more than 80,000 village-based cooperatives under the Merah Putih Cooperative program, a major step toward strengthening the grassroots economy ahead of their official launch by President Prabowo Subianto next week.

Syifa Alifa, Jakarta – Former secretary of the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Ministry, Muhammad Said Didu, has strongly criticized the verdict against Thomas Trikasih Lembong or Tom Lembong, former Trade Minister (2015-2016), in the sugar import case.

Said asserted that the ruling is not only legally flawed but also dangerous for Indonesian policymakers.

Effendi Rusli, Pekanbaru, Riau – Haze from forest and land fires in Riau province has crossed the border into Malaysia, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Pekanbaru.Bibin S, the on-duty forecaster at BMKG Sultan Syarif Kasim II Station in Pekanbaru, said on Saturday that the haze was detected moving northeast, crossing the border and reaching T

Adinda Jasmine, Jakarta – The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has strongly condemned the Israeli military strike on the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza.

The attack on Thursday, July 17, 2025, targeted the area's only Catholic church, killing three people and injuring ten others, including Pastor Gabriel Romanelli.

Chandra Adi Nurwidya, Yudha Setiawan Pane, Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – Puspa, a young woman from Yogyakarta, thought she was on her way to a decent job in Thailand. Instead, she found herself trafficked and forced into an online scam syndicate in Cambodia, becoming a victim of cross-border job scams that continue to prey on Indonesians seeking work abroad.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Indonesian Communication and Digital (Komdigi) Minister Meutya Hafid has firmly denied any government plan to restrict internet-based voice and video call services, including Voice over IP (VoIP) like WhatsApp Call. According to Meutya, the circulating information on this matter is misleading.

Wahyu Sahala Tua, Jakarta – Indonesia's homegrown electronics company Polytron has officially started mass production of its electric vehicles in Indonesia.

Jakarta – Indonesia is still negotiating details of its recently-reached trade deal with the United States after Washington lowered tariff rates on the Southeast Asian country, and is pursuing exemptions for its exports of palm oil and nickel, an official said on Friday.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities are expanding their search for reclusive oil tycoon Muhammad Riza Chalid after Singapore denied that the fugitive businessman is in its territory, forcing prosecutors to turn to neighboring countries in a bid to track him down.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The National Democracy (NasDem) Party has urged the central government to issue a temporary moratorium on the development of the new capital, Nusantara Capital City (IKN), in East Kalimantan.

Ade Ridwan Yandwiputra, Jakarta – The Ministry of Immigration and Correction has canceled the launch of the new red and white Indonesian passport design, which was initially scheduled for the 80th Independence Day celebration on August 17, 2025.

The decision follows Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2025 on budget efficiency across ministries and institutions.

Kerry Smith - July 6 marked 27 years since the Biak Massacre in 1998, when Indonesian security forces massacred scores of people in Biak, West Papua.

The victims included women and children who had gathered for a peaceful rally. They were killed at the base of a water tower flying the Morning Star flag.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Suroto, Chairperson of the Association of Strategic Socio-Economic Cadres (AKSES), criticized the 19 percent reciprocal tariff imposed by the United States on Indonesian exports. He argued that the agreement does little to strengthen Indonesia's economic position.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – U.S. President Donald Trump has lowered import tariffs on Indonesian products to 19 percent from the previous 32 percent. In return, Indonesia will grant zero percent tariffs on U.S. imports entering the country.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia will eliminate import tariffs on nearly all US-origin goods as part of its latest trade agreement with the United States, but certain products such as alcoholic beverages and pork will remain subject to duties, a senior government official confirmed on Friday.

Iman Rahman Cahyadi, Antara, Garut, West Java – Three people, including an eight-year-old girl, were killed in a stampede during a public celebration in Garut, West Java, marking the wedding of Deputy Regent Luthfianisa Putri Karlina and Maula Akbar, the oldest son of West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, on Friday.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – Following two consecutive accidents involving foreign hikers on Mount Rinjani's Pelawangan route towards Lake Segara Anak, Coordinating Minister of Politics and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan has called for a comprehensive evaluation and improvement of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) at Rinjani National Park.

Spoorthy Raman – With its long, pendulous nose, characteristic pot belly and large size, the odd-looking, leaf-eating proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) may not feature on the list of the world's cutest animals.

Resty Woro Yuniar – President Prabowo Subianto's decision to assign Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka responsibility for Papua has fuelled speculation that he is being politically sidelined under the guise of a development mission to Indonesia's most restive region.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – ASEAN is set to officially accept Timor-Leste as its when the group's leaders gather in Kuala Lumpur this October, thus finally ending the half-island nation's decades-long wait.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has responded to reports of larvae or maggots found in the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program at two schools in Tuban Regency, East Java. BGN Head Dadan Hindayana confirmed receiving the report on Monday, July 14, 2025.

Alexandra Stevenson and Hasya Nindita – For more than a decade, Rudi Hendri sold locally made clothes from a stall inside Jakarta's labyrinthine Tanah Abang market. Then three years ago, a businessman from China and his translator showed up with a proposition and changed everything.