Fuad Iqbal Abdullah, Vinnilya, Dayat, Jakarta/Balikpapan – Thousands of Jakarta residents gathered eagerly to witness the historic journey of the replica of Indonesia's national flag, which began its journey from the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta to Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Canberra – Australia and Indonesia advanced their electric vehicle (EV) partnership during the first Senior Officials' Meeting under the Electric Vehicle Collaboration Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Canberra on Friday.

Suci Sekarwati, Jakarta – Australia launched a new five-year Development Partnership Plan (DPP) with Indonesia on Thursday, August 8, 2024. The plan aims to support Indonesia's development goals and continue the strong institutional and people-to-people links between Australia and Indonesia.

Jakarta – The National Health Insurance scheme, better known by its acronym JKN, has reached a coverage of 98.19 percent of the total population, according to BPJS Kesehatan.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo stressed that climate issues need to be a shared concern. He highlighted the mining sector as one of the primary causes of environmental damage. If environmental protection is neglected, it will have the most impact on life quality, leading to issues such as disease, drought, and food shortages.

Jakarta – If political parties were corporations, it may be time to red-flag their maneuvers ahead of November's regional head elections.

While it is not yet official, the alliances they are forming to nominate their chosen candidates in some key regions have become so large that they are blocking opportunities for other candidates to run.

Jakarta – In response to rising religious intolerance in Indonesia, 20 local communities from across the country have launched the #Friendship4Peace campaign through the Campaign #ForABetterWorld app.

The campaign, which aims to support freedom of religion and faith, is done in collaboration with PeaceGeneration Indonesia, a social enterprise focusing on peace education.

Yanuar Nugroho – A recent ransomware attack on Indonesia's public services revealed weaknesses that the country can ill afford to ignore if it wishes to fully participate in the digital century.

Australia is poised to sign a new upgraded defence pact with Indonesia by the end of this month as the federal government prepares to welcome the incoming Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to Canberra.

Jakarta – Tensions between the nation's largest Muslim organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and its de facto political vehicle, the National Awakening Party (PKB) have reached new heights after the Islamic party reported its ex-secretary-general, Lukman Edy, to the police.

David Camroux and Mahrus Harnadi – On 7 January 2024, the second debate in the presidential election campaign in Indonesia was held. The debate's theme was Indonesia's position in international affairs and involved three candidates – front-runner and ultimate victor, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo.

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has issued a decree banning six people who are under investigation in relation to a corruption case at state-owned telecommunications firm PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) from traveling abroad.

Monique Handa Shafira, Jakarta – The Communication and Information Technology Ministry reported that 90 percent of government services disrupted by the June 20 data breach at the Temporary National Data Center (PDNS) 2 in Surabaya have been restored, though some data recovery efforts are ongoing.

Jakarta – A Regional Representatives Council (DPD) member form Aceh, Sudirman Haji Uma, has written to Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police Chief (Kapolda) Inspector General Karyoto requesting that a transgender beauty contest held recently at a hotel in Central Jakarta be investigated.

Jakarta – The response to the Covid-19 pandemic led to a relaxation in regulations and procedures, at the same time as an increase in autocracy. There were plenty of opportunities for corruption.

Julia Bergin with wires – Armed independence groups, treacherous terrain, wild weather, and airstrips that make Nepal's notorious Lukla airport look like "child's play" are just some of the dangers that pilots face flying in West Papua.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – The Golkar Party has announced its plan to nominate former West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil (RK) as its candidate for the Jakarta gubernatorial election and is now focusing on selecting a suitable running mate.

Antonio da Costa, Dili – Rights groups are questioning Timor-Leste, an impoverished Asian nation, for allocating US$12 million for Pope Francis' visit next month, including US$1 million to build an altar for a papal Mass.

Church sources said some 700,000 Catholics, primarily from the nation's 1.3 million-strong Catholic majority, are expected to attend the Sept. 10 Mass.

Antara, Jakarta – More investors will break ground on their respective projects in the new capital Nusantara next week, according to the Public Works Ministry.

This will mark the seventh groundbreaking phase. The vice presidential palace is also among the projects that will begin construction next week.

Yustinus Patris Paat, Jakarta – Ahmad Doli Kurnia, Deputy Chairman of the Golkar Party, revealed that the party is evaluating potential candidates for the vice gubernatorial role to partner with the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party's Dedi Mulyadi in the 2024 West Java gubernatorial race.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesian consumers are becoming slightly more upbeat about the country's overall economic conditions as of July after months of weaker optimism, according to Bank Indonesia.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – The Economic and Social Research Institute (LPEM) at the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UI) has reported a troubling decline in Indonesia's middle class, attributed to decreasing purchasing power.

Heru Andriyanto, Tangerang – The Indonesian government is collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to increase the production of essential drug materials domestically, aiming to reduce reliance on imports and ensure stable local supplies, an official said recently.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has extended safeguard tariffs on imports of textiles, carpets, and other fabric coverings for another three years in a bid to protect and enhance the competitiveness of the domestic textile industry.

Jakarta – The body of AM, a 13-year-old boy who was allegedly beaten to death by police officers in early June in Padang, West Sumatra, will be exhumed on Thursday, following the issuance of a permit from the police earlier this week.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – The Jakarta chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI Jakarta) condemned the alleged intimidation of a Tempo journalist and weekly podcast host in Jakarta and urged the police to prosecute the perpetrators.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan says a task force working to root out illegal imports has found that many foreign nationals are acting as distributors and have access to local warehouses for storing goods brought into the country.

Jakarta – In politics, apologies are a cheap commodity. Politicians apologize all the time.

Not all apologies are the same and some apologies are definitely and substantively better than others. Some enter the history books while others are quickly forgotten.

Jakarta – Former Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri has warned that allowing a president to serve three terms could damage the country, in comments that potentially referred to outgoing president Joko Widodo.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is working on improving and synchronizing its forest and supply chain data to comply with increasingly strict sustainability standards and requirements in markets where it exports to, including the European Union.

Victor Mambor and Pizaro Gozali Idrus, Jayapura and Jakarta – Indonesian human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the death of a New Zealand helicopter pilot in a remote part of Papua province earlier this week.

Jakarta – If the breakdown in relations between Megawati Soekarnoputri and her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) with President Joko Widodo had happened a long time ago, perhaps the democratic retreat could have been avoided.

Han Revanda Putra, Jakarta – Spokesperson for Indonesia's Industry Ministry Febri Hendri Antoni Arif suspected that the pile-up of 26,415 containers stuck at Tanjung Priok and Tanjung Perak Ports was caused by the relaxation of import document regulations stated in the Trade Minister's Regulation (Permendag) No. 3 of 2024.

Irsyan Hasyim (Contributor), Jakarta – The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) stated that 99 percent of forest and land fires, or Karhutla, in Indonesia are caused by human activities.

Sarjan Lahay, Gorontalo, Indonesia – A palm oil industry body and a state-owned company are proposing a vast new palm oil plan encompassing around 1 million hectares (nearly 2.5 million acres) of new plantations across the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

Jakarta – Indonesia and Japan on Thursday agreed on amendments to an economic agreement to reduce or remove trade barriers, Indonesia said, predicting the revision will boost bilateral trade.

Japan will further reduce import tariffs on 112 Indonesian items, including fishery products, fruit, food and beverages, Indonesia's trade ministry said in a statement.

Yustinus Patris Paat, Jakarta – The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) on Thursday urged Anies Baswedan to promptly announce former party chairman Sohibul Iman as his running mate, warning that failure to do so could lead to the withdrawal of the party's support for his re-election bid as Jakarta governor.

Tria Sutrisna, Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – The families of activists abducted in 1997-98 are suffering from trauma after meeting with senior officials from president elect Prabowo Subianto's Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) on Sunday April 4.

Victor Yeimo – The killing of New Zealand helicopter pilot Glen Malcolm Conning in Alama Village, Mimika, Papua, on Monday August 5 brings back memories of the tragic story of this village in 1996.

Fito Akhmad Erlangga, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo welcomed credentials from ten newly appointed ambassadors from friendly nations at the Merdeka Palace on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi highlighted Indonesia's strong ties with 10 countries and affirmed Indonesia's commitment to boosting bilateral cooperation with trade partners.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Education Agency plans to increase the registration quota for non-permanent teachers' Individual Work Contracts (KKI) this year, from 1,700 to 2,650.

Whisnu Bagus Prasetyo, Kendal – Chief Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan delivered a deeply sentimental farewell to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as his term approaches its end on Oct. 20.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said next year's state budget must cater to all programs planned by president-elect Prabowo Subianto in view of global economic risks, while opening a meeting on Monday to discuss the 2025 government working plan (RKP) and draft state budget.

JAKARTA – Personnel of the joint police-military Operation Cartenz Peace task force were hunting armed rebels on Tuesday who reportedly shot dead a New Zealand helicopter pilot in Central Papua, as authorities retrieved the body of the pilot.

Yohana Belinda, Jakarta – The head of the Bali Tourism Office has rejected an idea to build an international-standard casino in the island province, put forward by a local business group.

Bali tourism head Tjokorda Bagus Pemayun has nipped the idea in the bud saying that a casino ran counter to Balinese culture that formed the basis of the province's tourism industry.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – Businesses have called the government to rethink a plan to introduce a cap and impose a tax on certain ingredients used in processed foods, fearing the measures will be burdensome for the food industry, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Jakarta – The recent acquittal of Gregorius Ronald Tannur, son of former House of Representatives lawmaker Edward Tannur, on murder charges shows that miscarriages of justice are still a constant threat to the rule of law in our nation.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – To prove his commitment to the development of Nusantara Capital City, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo insisted on working there, despite the ongoing construction and less than ready state for habitation. Regardless of the questions about the motive behind the decision.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has begun operations to send emergency food supplies to a stockpile in Central Papua amid concerns of a hunger crisis caused by cold weather in the highlands of the province.

Rama Sukarta, Tangerang – Indonesia is working to reduce its reliance on imported pharmaceutical raw materials (BBO), which currently make up 90 percent of the country's needs, primarily from China and India.