Arthur Sullivan – It's not every week that a country gets a new capital city, but that's what is in line for Indonesia in the coming days – in theory at least.

August 17, 2024, the country's Independence Day, has long been marked in the calendar as the day when Nusantara, Indonesia's new capital city, will be officially inaugurated.

Jakarta – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri says she never intended to stay in power indefinitely and is thinking of retiring from the party.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) on Wednesday announced a list of candidates the party will field in the November gubernatorial election, which included the name of the now-dissolved Free Aceh Movement (GAM) commander at the top of the ticket in Aceh.

Jakarta – The prolonged abduction of Susi Air pilot Phillip Mehrtens and the killing of another pilot, Glen Malcolm Conning, in strife-torn Papua, are unjustifiable criminal acts.

Kidnapping and killing will not bring any good to the Papuan people, who have been longing for peace and prosperity. The acts of violence will instead worsen the hard life facing many Papuans.

Tempo.Co, Jakarta – Tauhid Ahmad, a senior economist at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef), questioned Indonesia's ability to achieve food self-sufficiency in the next three years.

Activists from the West Papua National Committee or the KNPB returned to the streets for their 14th action on Thursday August 15, to commemorate the 1962 New York Agreement, the day when power over West Papua was transferred from the Netherlands to Indonesia.

Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – The Cartenz Peace Operation has issued a Wanted List for five alleged perpetrators behind the murder of Glen Malcolm Conning, the New Zealand helicopter pilot for PT Intan Angkasa Air Service.

The five perpetrators are allegedly members of the armed criminal group led by Perek Jelas Kogoya, headquartered in Yuguru, Nduga Regency.

Alfred Pagepitu – The President of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Benny Wenda, visited the country to seek support for their application for full membership into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

On Tuesday, Mr. Wenda met with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele to discuss issues related to West Papua's MSG membership.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is scheduled to deliver before the People's Consultative Assembly on Friday the annual State of the Nation Address as well as the State Budge Address.

Jakarta – The East Kalimantan (Kaltim) Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) held an action in front of the Nusantara capital city (IKN) Authority offices in Balikpapan on Thursday August 15 ahead of the Republic of Indonesia's 79th Independence Day on August 17.

Taufik Wijaya, Palembang, Indonesia – A law enforcement crackdown against widespread opportunist oil extraction has shuttered at least 95 illegal wells following a spate of deaths in Indonesia's South Sumatra province, police said.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, was awarded an honorary medal by President Joko Widodo or Jokowi yesterday, Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at State Palace. The minister, who recently stepped down from his post as Golkar Party Chair, was conferred the Bintang Republik Indonesia Utama medal.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has been trying to facilitate a smooth transition of power for his successor Prabowo Subianto by various means, but accommodating Prabowo's signature programs in the 2025 budget has proven to be the most challenging considering the narrowing fiscal space and economic deceleration.

Theressia Sunday Silalahi, Jakarta – Megawati Soekarnoputri, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said Wednesday that there was nothing wrong about wanting to meet National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo.

Yustinus Patris Paat, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Megawati Soekarnoputri, said on Wednesday her party is being sidelined in the upcoming local elections, as rivals increasingly align with the coalition that backed Prabowo Subianto's successful presidential bid.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has pushed back against suggestions that it is to blame for the uncertainty surrounding Anies Baswedan's candidacy in the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial election, saying that Anies himself has been unable to secure the necessary support from other parties to meet the nomination threshold.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Anies Baswedan's bid for re-election as Jakarta governor hangs in the balance after a key ally, National Democratic Party (Nasdem) Chairman Surya Paloh, indicated on Wednesday that the party may endorse a rival candidate.

Antara, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – A senior executive of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has been chosen as the running mate for Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Ridwan Kamil, confirming speculation that the party has withdrawn its support from Anies Baswedan.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Hotels in the East Kalimantan cities of Samarinda and Balikpapan have seen a surge in demand to full capacity ahead of the 79th Independence Day celebrations in Nusantara, according to the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI).

Sylviana Hamdani, Jakarta – Art does not always capture the beauty of our world for the enjoyment of the audience. Sometimes, art also pokes at our neatly dressed wounds and rips the bandages off.

Jakarta – Conventional wisdom has it that, while Indonesia may have all sorts of problems, at least the country's macroeconomic fundamentals are in order.

Iim Halimatusa'diyah – The leadership of Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organisation has decided to accept a government mining licence, just like the largest. Consternation from eco-activists and others within has ensued, together with warnings about a loss of moral direction.

Anies Baswedan saw an outpouring of support for his reelection bid as Jakarta governor in the 2024 regional head elections, when hundreds of people turned up last week in rallies at the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) in the city, calling on the parties to back the former presidential candidate.

Jakarta – Indonesia's President-elect campaigned on a pledge to provide free meals to over 80 million school children, a costly and daunting logistical effort that is poised to lift dairy imports and ultimately boost the country's underdeveloped milk industry.

Indonesia may be forced to delay plans to relocate a first batch of civil servants to its beleaguered new capital, potentially casting further doubts on a project that remains behind schedule and is struggling to attract funding.

Bhima Yudhistira – Indonesia's next president, Prabowo Subianto, will be inaugurated in October. In May, at the Qatar Economic Forum, he promised to achieve 8% GDP growth within two or three years – ambitious given this year's growth is around 5%. The nickel industry would be a major driver of the increased growth, he said.

Ahmad Syamsudin, Jakarta – As Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo prepares to exit office in October, his decade-long leadership is coming in for a reckoning.

On the verge of completing the maximum-allowed two presidential terms, he is set to deliver his final State of the Nation address on Friday.

Padang, Indonesia – One of an estimated 400 of the world's remaining Sumatran tigers was found dead on July 25 after becoming trapped in a wire snare set in Agam district, West Sumatra province.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – The state palace has denied rumors of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo possibly holding another cabinet shake-up today or tomorrow.

"There are no plans for the rumored cabinet reshuffle on Aug. 14 or 15," Jokowi's senior aide Ari Dwipayana said Wednesday.

The 15 August marks 62 years since The New York Agreement and West Papuans are still suffering under Indonesian colonial rule. Yes, most of the world recognises Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua at this stage but most also would recognise that the so called act of free choice in 1969 was a sham.

The New York Agreement

A contentious legal dispute has emerged in the Sorong Regency, Papua Barat Daya Province, involving PT Mancaraya Agro Mandiri (MAM), a subsidiary of the Manca Group, and the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) Malamoi.

Ikhsan Reliubun, Jakarta – Bondan Andriyanu, the Greenpeace Indonesia Climate and Energy Campaigner, responded to President Joko Widodo or Jokowi's claim that the air quality in Nusantara Capital City or IKN is "very fresh and clean."

Bondan said on Tuesday that Kalimantan often faces forest fires, one of the contributing factors to air pollution.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Jakarta – The National Research and Innovation Agency or BRIN proposed a solution to overcome air pollution by using nuclear technology.

Jakarta – The opportunity for Anies Baswedan to contest the Jakarta gubernatorial election is slipping away after the coalition of parties supporting him fell apart. There is a guerrilla from the Palace.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo seemed to be fine with the slow foreign investment in the Indonesian Capital City of Nusantara or IKN project, stating that the government is prioritizing domestic investors.

Fauzi Ibrahim, Jakarta – Dozens of Rempang, Batam residents staged a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 14, to voice their opposition to the Rempang Eco-City National Strategic Project (PSN). The community insists that they can thrive without the project, relying on local resources, such as agriculture and fishing.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo conferred honorary medals upon 64 individuals, including prominent figures such as NasDem Party Chairman Surya Paloh and Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia. The ceremony took place at the State Palace on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, as part of the nation's 79th Independence Day commemorations.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – An economist recently said that disrupted food security – a situation in which the population could not access affordable rice – could worsen Indonesia's poverty rate.

Bella Evanglista Mikaputri, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo admitted Wednesday that he could finally get a restful sleep when staying at the yet-to-be-built Indonesian future capital Nusantara.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Suharso Monoarfa, said on Tuesday that the Indonesian government is prioritizing industrialization to enhance the export of processed commodities with higher added value.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita was appointed as the acting chairman of the Golkar Party during an emergency leaders' meeting on Tuesday evening, following the sudden resignation of Chairman Airlangga Hartarto.

The meeting, held at the party's headquarters in Jakarta, involved top Golkar executives and senior members.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Agricultural expert Dwi Andreas Santosa recently revealed ways on how Indonesia could achieve food security, citing improving farmers' welfare as one of the things that could enable the country feed its people easily.

Singgih Wiryono, Bagus Santosa, Jakarta – National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) Chairperson Andy Yentriyani says that as many as 34,682 women fell victim to acts of violence in 2024.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Activists from the 98 Resistance Forum have come together to voice their anxieties about the quality of democracy in the era of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. They highlighted the issue of Airlangga Hartanto's ousting as general chairperson of the Golkar Party recently.

Antara, Jakarta – Several areas in East Kalimantan, including those within Nusantara Capital City (IKN), are still at risk of flooding in the coming week. After heavy rainfall last weekend, floods have inundated several sub-districts in Mahakam Ulu, Balikpapan, and North Penajam Paser.

Jakarta – Harli Siregar, head of the Attorney General's Office's (AGO's) Legal Information Center (Kapuspenkum Kejagung), said the investigation into the crude palm oil (CPO) export corruption case was being conducted without any political pressure or influence.

The CPO corruption case resurfaced after Airlangga Hartarto resigned from his position as Golkar chairman.

Duncan Graham – ABC foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic's 'exclusive' claim that "Australia and Indonesia are on the brink of sealing an upgraded defence pact" hasn't been refuted by Defence so is probably right.

This is a distressing idea practically and morally for a nation that claims to respect the rules of warfare and human rights. That's us.

Despite being mineral-rich, conflict-torn Christian-majority region among the poorest and most underdeveloped provinces

Yuliana Langowuyo hopes that Pope Francis will remember to speak about the ongoing rights violations and injustices in the restive Papua region when he visits Indonesia next month.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – Anti-graft activists are calling on the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) commissioner selection committee to take a stronger stance and eliminate problematic candidates from the shortlist, including two incumbent KPK commissioners who have been hit with allegations of ethics violations.

Jakarta – Two former presidents, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), have confirmed that they will not join the Independence Day celebration at Indonesia's future capital in Nusantara, East Kalimantan, scheduled for this weekend.