Tempo.Co, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs is requiring prospective brides and grooms to undergo marriage counseling before getting married. The decision, which is expected to take effect in July, is based on the Director General of Islamic Guidance's Circular No. 2 of 2024 on Marriage Guidance for Prospective Brides and Grooms.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The legal representative of the Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar (Amin) campaign team, Bambang Widjojanto, said that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo used or allowed his cabinet ministers to assist presidential candidate pair number 02, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, to secure victory in the election race.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Masaki Yasushi stated that his country opened numerous job opportunities for Indonesian citizens. He revealed that this is because of a labor shortage in Japan.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia is experiencing a resurgence in forest clearance due to the expansion of pulpwood and oil palm plantations, reversing years of declining deforestation associated with these two industries.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The job creation law, which harmonizes dozens of regulations concerning investments, takes years for its full and ideal implementation and therefore must be carried on by the new government, a senior economist said on Wednesday.

Jakarta – Dozens of Rohingya refugees saved after their boat capsized off Indonesia's westernmost coast last week have been forced from their temporary shelter due to local protests, a United Nations refugee agency official said Wednesday.

Michael Philipps – Estrella Resources has officially been granted exploration tenure of more than 500 square kilometres in Timor-Leste making history as one of the first companies to receive exploration rights in the country.

The nation is looking to build its industry in this resource-rich part of the world and ASX-listed Estrella is the first through the gate.

Jakarta – A clash broke out on Wednesday March 27 when two groups of demonstrators were protesting at the Horse Statue in Central Jakarta as the Constitutional Court (MK) was holding a hearing challenging the results of the 2024 elections.

Harso Kurniawan, Jakarta – The Ministry of Manpower is urging for ride-hailing and logistics courier companies to grant Eid bonuses (THR) to their employees in 2024. However, Legal consultant Azka Hanani expressed concern that the Ministry's statement on drivers' eligibility for THR might spark future controversies.

Manokwari, Jubi – The Executive Director of LP3BH Manokwari, Yan Cristian Warinussy, urged the Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Agus Subiyanto to immediately remove the Commander of the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command Maj. Gen.

Sebastian Strangio – The armed forces were forced to issue a rare apology after a video showing soldiers torturing a Papuan separatist fighter was posted online.

Indonesia's military says that it has arrested 13 soldiers after the emergence of a video showing the torture of a man believed to be a member of a Papuan separatist group.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Army issued a rare apology on Monday and said 13 soldiers had been arrested after a video emerged showing a man being tortured by troops in Papua region, where armed separatists have clashed with security forces for years.

Jakarta – The planned new capital Nusantara has been touted as an inclusive, environmentally friendly and humane city, but the recent news about the planned eviction of members of an indigenous community in the area could shatter this image.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – The emergence of a food-versus-fuel dilemma in Indonesia has added to concern that a push for palm oil-based biodiesel will drive deforestation.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Tax revenue for the year to March 15 fell 3.7 percent year-on-year (yoy), the Finance Ministry has said, largely a result of companies seeking tax refunds for worse-than-expected business performances last year.

Hanoi (VNA) – With camera traps and extensive DNA sweeps, Indonesian conservationists are hoping to find more evidence that the Javan tiger, a species declared extinct, actually still exists in the wild, the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry announced on March 26.

Thomas Rizal & Roy Adriansyah, Jakarta – President-elect Prabowo Subianto's cabinet will assume the role as successors to the 7th President of Indonesia, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka has affirmed that his father, Jokowi, will refrain from involvement in the composition of Prabowo's cabinet.

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday warned all state employees against accepting gifts during the upcoming Muslim holidays of Eid al-Fitr, citing potential conflicts of interest related to their duties.

Antara, Jakarta – The Financial Services Authority (OJK) unveiled that the losses stemming from illegal investments or fraudulent schemes have amounted to Rp 139.67 trillion ($8.84 billion) between 2017 and 2023.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The General Election Commission (KPU) Chairman Hasyim Asy'ari announced that the voter turnout for the 2024 presidential and legislative elections stood at 81.78 percent, showing a slight decrease from the 81.97 percent recorded in the 2019 elections.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian revealed on Monday that 240 civil servants were found to have violated the neutrality principle during the presidential and legislative elections.

During a hearing with lawmakers, the minister disclosed that at least 450 civil servants were reported to the Election Oversight Body (Bawaslu) for the violation.

Defara Dhanya Paramitha, Jakarta – The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) strongly condemned the torture of an indigenous Papuan man by soldiers of the Indonesian military (TNI). YLBHI Chairman Muhammad Isnur urged the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to immediately conduct an investigation and demand that the perpetrators be held accountable.

Yohanes Maharso and Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – Commander of the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Regional Command, Major General Izak Pangemanan, said the New Zealand Ambassador has handed over the plan for the release of his citizen to the Indonesian government.

Adinda Jasmine Prasetyo, Jakarta – Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian pointed out the government's support to ensure the success of the 2024 Elections during a meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission II on the evaluation of the simultaneous election at the DPR, Jakarta, on Monday, March 25.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi encouraged ministries and institutions to immediately integrate nine key government services into a unified portal called INA Digital.

This was conveyed in a limited meeting on the transformation and integration of national digital services at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, on Monday, March 25.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Vice presidential candidate Mahfud Md stressed that it was not yet time to congratulate Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka as the winners of the 2024 presidential election despite the General Elections Commission's (KPU) announcement on March 20, 2024.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Chairman of the General Election Commission (KPU), Hasyim Asy'ari, revealed that a total of 181 members of election officials had passed away while carrying out their duties during the 2024 Election.

The officials include the District Election Committee (PPK), Polling Station Committee (PPS), and Group of Polling Station Officials (KPPS).

Jakarta – Indigenous people are taking legal action against the President and the DPR for delaying deliberations of a bill. It has taken second place to the interests of investors.

Defara Dhanya, Yohanes Maharso and Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The Spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army of the Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM), Sebby Sambom, denied the allegations that the residents tortured by Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) soldiers were members of the organization.

Bill Birtles in Jakarta – Indonesia's military has pledged to investigate after videos described as "barbaric" circulated online showing what appear to be soldiers punching, kicking and slicing a Papuan man in a steel barrel.

Julie Wark – Budi Hernawan said it ten years ago: "torture in Papua... has become a mode of governance." It hasn't stopped. It's got worse. It's got worse precisely because it's a mode of governance accepted and blessed by the international "community" whose neoliberal politics of extraction means extermination of anything and anyone getting in its way.

Ben Doherty – Footage of a West Papuan man, bound in a water-filled barrel and being beaten and cut with knives, allegedly by Indonesian soldiers, has reanimated demands for international intervention in the contested province.

Zach Hope and Karuni Rompies – The Indonesian military has detained eight of its own after disturbing videos surfaced of a group beating and slashing a young Papuan as he stood trembling in a drum of bloodied water.

Human rights groups on Monday were attempting to confirm reports from locals that the victim later died.

The Indonesian government has confirmed it is investigating a viral video showing security forces in Papua torturing a civilian.

An Australian solidarity group for West Papua today warned of a fresh "heavy handed" Indonesia crackdown on Papuan villagers with more "arrests and torture".

As a result of the attack on a police post in Paniai District by the TPNPB on the 20 March, the Papuan Police have deployed 30 rangers from its elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) to secure the post and hunt down the attackers. Two police officers died in the attack.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) asserted on Monday its right to retain the speakership in the House of Representatives after securing the most votes in the Feb. 14 election.

Jakarta – United States President Joe Biden spoke late last week with president-elect Prabowo Subianto to congratulate him on his election victory, said White House national security communications aide John Kirby.

Kirby added that Biden pledged to expand cooperation with Indonesia under the US-Indonesia comprehensive partnership in the Indo-Pacific economic framework.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – It is by far the least powerful job among the country's highest state political institutions, but for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the position of House speaker may be a consolation prize after emerging as the party with the most votes in the February general elections.

Jakarta – Shortly after the General Elections Commission (KPU) announced election winners last week, attention has begun shifting to whether the nation will have an opposition force and which of the eight political parties will play a role in the legislature.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – The Finance Ministry has reported a surplus in the state budget amounting to Rp 22.8 trillion ($1.44 billion). As of March 15, state revenue reached Rp 493.2 trillion, while state expenditures totaled Rp 470.3 trillion. This represents a decrease of 81.4 percent in the state budget surplus compared to the same period last year.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Constitutional Court (MK) Judge Anwar Usman is prohibited from presiding over disputes arising from the 2024 presidential and legislative elections involving the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) due to a conflict of interest.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna & Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – Indonesia's latest import restriction has raised concerns about its potential to deter tourism and has sparked fears of extortion from customs officials at airports.

Jakarta (Agencies) – The bodies of at least five Rohingya refugees have been recovered off Aceh coast after their boat believed to be carrying around 150 people capsized last week, United Nations officials said Monday.

Yolanda Agne, Dewi Rina Cahyani and Sita Planasari, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) on March 20 declared Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming the victors of the 2024 presidential election. The KPU chairman Hasyim Asy'ari said the pair had secured 96,214,691 votes and won in nearly all provinces.

Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – Greenpeace has condemned mounting legal actions taken by Indonesian authorities against four activists for protesting illegal shrimp farms damaging a marine park off the island of Java.

Rabul Sawal, Indramayu, Indonesia – A veil of smog lurks over Surono and Umroh's home as relatives and neighbors file inside to greet the couple. Umroh welcomes the new arrivals over lunch as family members and friends congratulate the beaming pair on the birth of their second child.

Jakarta – The commander of the Cenderawasih/XVII Regional Military Command (Kodam), Major General Izak Pangemanan, has revealed the chronology of the abuse committed by TNI (Indonesian military) soldiers against a member of an armed criminal group (KKB) in Central Papua.

Bernadette Christina, Jakarta – Indonesia's palm oil product exports slipped in January and February, raising concerns less of the edible oil will be available domestically because of the tie between overseas sales quotas and internal quotas, official said on Monday.

Zach Hope and Karuni Rompies – The Indonesian military has detained 13 of its own after disturbing videos surfaced of a group beating and slashing a young Papuan trembling in a barrel of bloodied water.