Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States, extended congratulations to Indonesia on its 79th Independence Day.

Nabire – West Papua National Committee (KNPB) member Gerson Pigai says that 101 KNPB activists who took part in demonstrations and were arrested by the Nabire District Police (Polres) on Thursday morning, August 15, including three others who were arrested prior to this for handing out leaflets, have now all been released and returned home.

Antara, Jakarta – The Law and Human Rights Ministry, through the Directorate General of Immigration, unveiled a new passport design in celebration of Indonesia's 79th Independence Day. The new passport features a red and white color scheme, representing the national flag, replacing the previous greenish-blue cover.

Jakarta – State-owned defense company Pindad introduced its anti-drone weapons Silent Paralyzing Weapon Series 1 (SPS-1) and the Maung MV3 Mobile Jammer vehicle at the new capital city Nusantara on Friday.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) should establish a fourth branch dedicated to combating the growing global threats in cyberspace, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Bambang Soesatyo proposed on Friday.

Jakarta – The recent suicide of a Diponegoro University medical resident in Semarang, Central Java, allegedly as the result of bullying, is only the tip of the iceberg, the Health Ministry has confirmed, while promising to take stern measures against the deep-seated problem found at medical education institutions across the country.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani lamented the state of Indonesian democracy and underlined the importance of quality elections, while warning against distorted democratic processes at the annual People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) plenary session on Friday.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo once again apologized to the public for any mistakes made in the past 10 years of his presidency as he delivered his last State of the Nation address on Friday.

Jakarta (Agencies) – President-elect Prabowo Subianto has secured a majority at the House of Representatives after the party that backed his rival in the February elections announced it was joining his big-tent coalition.

Jakarta – NasDem Party chairman Surya Paloh held a meeting on Thursday night with Defense Minister and president-elect Prabowo Subianto pledging his full support for the incoming administration and dropping the party's support for Anies Baswedan's bid in the Jakarta gubernatorial election.

Jakarta – The theme of unity has always been the go-to slogan of the annual celebration of Indonesia's Independence Day.

The running theme in the country's post-independence history is that only through unity among the political elite, the people and the Indonesian Military (TNI), did Indonesia manage to free itself from the shackles of colonialism.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – The government has set a 5.2 percent economic growth target in the 2025 State Budget Draft, marking the beginning of President Prabowo Subianto's administration.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Both former Presidents, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, did not attend the 2024 State of the Union Address

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ended his final state of the nation address on Friday with a message dedicated to his successor Prabowo Subianto.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Resource nationalism, which has become an integral economic policy of the outgoing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, was among the key subject matters that dominated his final state of the nation address on Friday.

Jokowi is about to retire this October, ending his 10-year rule.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan says the government is studying the possible early retirement of the Suralaya coal-fired power plant in Banten to reduce air pollution in Jakarta.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – In his final State of the Nation Address at the joint session of the People's Consultative Assembly on Friday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo highlighted key economic achievements during his decade-long administration.

Jakarta – The working period of the Peatland and Mangrove Rehabilitation Agency should be extended in order to rehabilitate the severely damaged mangrove forests.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo kicked off his final State of the Nation address on Friday by thanking the Indonesian people for their support throughout the past 10 years of his leadership.

Medikantyo Adhikresna, Jakarta – The upcoming national congress of the Golkar Party will decide on a new chairman from among three leading figures, Deputy Chairman Bambang Soesatyo announced on Thursday.

Ikhsan Reliubun, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi released a regulation permitting foreign workers to work in Nusantara Capital City or IKN in North Penajam Paser, East Kalimantan.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Panel Barus, General Treasurer of Pro Jokowi (Projo), dismissed claims by Megawati Soekarnoputri, leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), about an attempt to take over her party.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura, Indonesia – Indonesian security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes with protestors marking the 62nd anniversary of a U.N. agreement that paved the way for Jakarta's annexation of the Papua region.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – The Jakarta Walhi (Indonesian Forum for Environment) said the development of Nusantara Capital City (IKN) seemed to disregard local communities' aspirations.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has designated Rp 525 trillion ($33.45 billion) for subsidies and compensation in the 2025 Draft State Budget (APBN), according to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. The budget will be split between energy subsidies and compensation and non-energy subsidies.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has proposed a government budget of Rp 3,613.1 trillion (around $230 billion) in 2025, which will be his successor Prabowo Subianto's first year in office.

Irsyan Hasyim (Contributor), Jakarta – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) delivered his final state address at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia on Friday, August 16, 2024.

Jakarta – The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy has criticised President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's state of the nation address at the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Friday morning, August 16.

Tanjungpinang – Rempang Island residents cannot forgive President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. This was in response to Widodo's state of the nation address at the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Friday August 16.

Magang KJI, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is questioning President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's apology during his state of the nation address at the annual session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). Hamid said that Widodo in fact failed to explain his actions and mistakes so he conveyed an apology instead.

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.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Civil society groups and communities most affected by the effects of climate change are calling on the Indonesian government to include them in the decision-making process of climate policies.

Thomas Rizal, Jakarta – A government agency responsible for organizing the prestigious flag-hoisting team announced on Thursday that female Muslim members of the team will be allowed to wear hijabs, reversing a previous decision that had sparked widespread condemnation in the predominantly Muslim nation.

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.

Winarno Jain, Jakarta – In the 10 years of Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's presidency (2014-2024) Indonesian economic growth has been sustainable, resilient and relatively high. It has managed to navigate safely in the midst of global economic headwinds and turbulence.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia's deficit with its top trading partner China had more than doubled in July, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced Thursday.

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.

Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – The future national capital, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan will soon be open to both local and foreign tourists, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno announced on Wednesday.

The ministry is developing local attractions, including seaside tourism villages Nipah-Nipah and Mentawir.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia maintained its positive trade balance for the 51st consecutive month in July since May 2020, although the surplus recorded last month has narrowed, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) on Thursday.

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.

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.

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.

Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – The research firm Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) recently said that Indonesia's goal of becoming the world's food barn by 2045 could be too challenging to achieve.

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.

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.

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.

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.