Ex-Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan is the dark horse in Indonesia's Feb. 14 presidential election.

Makassar, South Sulawesi – Deputy Chief of the National Police (Polri), Commissioner General Agus Andrianto, stated that journalistic products from lawful press companies cannot be criminalized using Law No. 11 of 2018 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE).

Linda Yulisman, Jakarta – On weekdays, production assistant Dandy Febriansyah pulls long hours at a start-up in Jakarta. And on weekends, he takes up gigs as a freelance photographer.

All this in a bid to make ends meet and support his ageing mother and brother, who was recently laid off.

Jakarta – A long-time ally of Indonesian President Joko Widodo has launched a staunch defence of the popular leader amid a storm of criticism, rejecting allegations of his political interference to try to sway the outcome of the Feb 14 presidential election.

Asad Asnawi, Lamongan, Indonesia – Wawan has traded in stingrays for years out of the port in Lamongan, a district in Indonesia's East Java province. At dawn, fishers are often seen returning from the Java Sea to unload their cargo in port, where a shipyard backs onto a road hugging the north coast of the world's most-populous island.

Charlie English – Indonesia: the world's largest island nation, 17,000 pieces of land projecting from the waves where Indian and Pacific oceans meet, ranging in scale from the giants of Sumatra, Java and Borneo, to the tiny volcanic outcrops of the Banda Sea.

Jakarta – Former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, or Ahok, on Thursday clarified his recent remarks insinuating that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and his son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, cannot fulfill their duties.

Ahok's remarks had circulated widely and garnered criticism from supporters of the president.

Ahmad Syamsudin and Dandy Koswaraputra, Benar News – With only a week left until voters in Indonesia head to the polls to elect his successor, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is facing a political storm over allegations of meddling with the vote in this young democracy.

Victoria Milko, Jakarta, Indonesia – A presidential election in Indonesia, the world's third-largest democracy, is highlighting choices to be made as the country seeks to profit from its rich reserves of nickel and other resources that are vital to the global transition away from fossil fuels.

Dandy Koswaraputra, Walesi, Indonesia – Inside a thatched wooden house on a hillside overlooking a valley of fields and forest, Sadiq Asso gathered his clan members to discuss a matter of national importance: Indonesia's upcoming general election.

Jakarta and Madura – At first blush, it did not seem too alarming. At Asia's leading security conference last year, held in a glitzy ballroom at the Shangri-La hotel in Singapore, Indonesia's defence minister, Prabowo Subianto, proposed a peace plan for Ukraine.

David Hutt – The bloody and rapacious occupation of East Timor by Indonesia from 1975 to 1999, when nearly a quarter of the population died of famine and violence, is not the responsibility of the current Indonesian government.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Former Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita recently expressed concerns that the implementation of new entertainment taxes, reaching up to 75 percent, could discourage the industry and potentially lead many businesses to collapse, particularly those not fully recovered from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Makassar – Students from the Alauddin State Islamic University (UIN) Da'wah and Communication Faculty in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar protested against the retreat of democracy and President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's cawe-cawe (interference) in the 2024 elections.

Solo – Hundreds of students demonstrated in front of the Town Hall in Solo, Central Java, on Thursday February 8, in a counter rally against a "Kiss Gibran's Hand Action" that was held by a group of people two days earlier.

Sebastian Strangio – Separatist rebels in Papua say that they are ready to release a New Zealand pilot, a year to the day after taking him hostage in a remote part of the restive region of eastern Indonesia.

Antara, Jakarta – The Ambassador of New Zealand to Indonesia Kevin Jeffery Burnet met Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri to discuss the release of the Susi Air pilot who was being held hostage by the West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organization (TPNPB-OPM), Philip Mark Mehrtens.

Jakarta – The All-Indonesian Student Executive Council Alliance (BEM SI) took over the Horse Statue in Central Jakarta on Thursday February 8 and put up a banner criticising President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Jakarta – Hundreds of students were set to protest on Wednesday against outgoing President Joko Widodo's perceived interference in the Feb. 14 election to replace the leader of the world's third-largest democracy, an organizer said.

Jon Emont – A few years ago, Indonesia set out to turn its treasure trove of nickel into an electric-car manufacturing boom.

It imposed a sweeping ban on the export of raw nickel. That meant that companies wanting to tap the world's largest source of the mineral – used in the most powerful type of EV batteries – would have to build smelters in Indonesia.

Jakarta – Kraksaan District Court in Probolinggo, East Java, has sentenced 41-year-old wedding organizer Andrie Wibowo Eka Wardhana to two and a half years in prison and a fine of Rp 3.5 billion (US$223,331) for causing a wildfire on Mount Bromo last year.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo announced on Tuesday that Feb. 14 will be a national holiday to allow for citizens to vote in the general election.

The decision was formalized in a new presidential regulation signed by the President on Tuesday and is effective immediately.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The government is considering extending the maximum home mortgage tenor to 35 years to provide more affordable monthly payments for lower-income households, but experts say the policy is unlikely to be much help in solving the country's housing issues.

Medan – A family of three died after their car was hit by a landslide on Jl. Tarutung-Sibolga, Adian Koting district, North Tapanuli regency, North Sumatra on Saturday afternoon.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – Rumors that Finance Minister Sri Mulyani will resign from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's cabinet have emerged just weeks before the 2024 general election.

Jakarta – Over the past week, we have witnessed a surge of fresh criticism of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's government and the political elite ring through the halls of campuses and centers of intellectual thought across the archipelago.

Eva Corlett and agencies – Rebels in Indonesia's West Papua region have said they will release a New Zealand pilot who was taken hostage a year ago as a bargaining chip for their independence movement.

Resty Woro Yuniar – Gibran Rakabuming Raka, running mate to presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and President Joko Widodo's son, has been tied to another ethics scandal regarding his registration with Indonesia's election governing body, leading to questions about how it could impact his ticket at the February 14 polls.

Johannes Nugroho – Ahead of next week's general elections in Indonesia, Marsha Siagian stands out as one of the few legislative candidates pledging to represent Indonesians living overseas by pushing to restart the long-delayed legislative process to allow for dual citizenship.

New Zealand has called for the immediate release of pilot Phillip Mehrtens who was taken captive by fighters in Indonesia's troubled Papua province a year ago.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo reiterated on Wednesday that he will abstain from participating in campaign rallies, despite his son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, contesting the election as a vice-presidential candidate.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Acting Deputy Head of Information for the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command, Lt. Col. Inf Candra Kurniawan, stated that two personnel who got shot on Siep Asso Road, Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency on Monday (5/2/2024) were members of the Babinsa (Village Development Facilitator) at 1715-06/Dekai Military District Command.

Nabire, Jubi – Spokesperson for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) Sebby Sambom has stated that his group is responsible for the attack that occurred on Siep Asso Road, Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency on Monday (5/2/2024).

Nabire, Jubi – The Puncak Ilaga Command of The West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) has accused the Indonesian Military (TNI) of burning civilian homes and assaulting civilians, resulting in one death and two severe injuries.

Jayapura, Jubi – The armed group known as the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) reportedly damaged a major road connecting Sugapa District to Hitadipa District in Intan Jaya Regency, Central Papua Province, on Sunday (4/2/2024).

Sofie Arjon Schutte – Presidential and vice presidential candidates were presented with jackets at the Integrity Pact on 17 January.

On 17 January, a little less than a month before 204 million registered Indonesian voters will cast their votes for a new president and national parliament, over 3,000 YouTubers tuned in to watch 'The Integrity Pact'.

Antara, Aceh Besar – Aceh Besar Regency in Aceh Province enforces a ban on Valentine's Day celebrations because it is against Islamic teachings and local laws.

Jakarta – Hundreds of students from a number of different campuses gathered at the 12 May Reformasi Monument in front of the Trisakti University campus in Jakarta on Wednesday February 7 to protest against the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

They gathered for an action calling for "Jokowi's impeachment" and to "Reject the Fraudulent Elections".

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – A number of retired Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) officers who are members of Elang Indonesia Maju (Onward Indonesian Eagles) have declared their support for the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair number 3, Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud MD.

Jakarta – The Non-Government Organisation (NGO) Coalition for Election Justice (SAKAKAP) has found 121 cases of alleged election violations committed by the state apparatus between November 13, 2023 and January 31, 2024.

Antara, Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – Presidential candidate number one Anies Baswedan spoke up about the supposed plan to liquidate state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

He said on Monday during the "Desak Anies" event in Semarang that any information must be faced with critical thinking, including the idea of an SOE transformation.

Jakarta – Around 100 students marched in Indonesia's capital Jakarta on Wednesday to protest what they say is political interference by outgoing president, Joko Widodo, in the presidential election to be held on Feb. 14.

Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto claims to have the support of three Indonesian presidents in his current bid for the nation's highest office, including one who has been deceased for some 15 years.

Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto recently reminisced about his late mother Dora Marie Sigar when he visited the latter's hometown in Langowan, Manado.

Prabowo even sang "Sio Mama" ('Dear Mama'), a song about a child missing his mother.

Ashlynn Hannah, Jakarta – Within the Southeast Asia Region, Indonesia has the highest birth rates among adolescent females from the ages of 15 to 19 according to a research report on adolescent pregnancy in West Java and Central Sulawesi published in the United States National Library of Medicine on Oct. 27, 2023.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Bali – Beginning Feb. 14, 2024, foreign tourists visiting Bali will be required to pay a tourist tax of Rp 150,000 ($10). The Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno, said the imposition of the levy on foreign tourists is intended to preserve the culture and environment in Bali.

Jakarta – Retired army general Wiranto recently revealed the reason why he gave Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka his support for the 2024 election.

"I remember how Mr. Prabowo once said that he would dedicate his life to serving this country," Wiranto said in front of tens of thousands of people in Langowan, Minahasa, on Monday.

Jakarta – The rain did not stop presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto from dancing with tens of thousands of his supporters in Manado on Monday.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Indonesia's economy expanded at a much slower rate last year, with weaker household spending and exports weighing on the country's economic output.

The country's GDP grew by 5.05 percent last year, much lower than the 5.31 percent logged the previous year, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data show.

Jakarta – To some, the fifth and final electoral debate of the campaign season on Sunday was an anticlimax, as the three presidential candidates refrained from attacking each other as they had done in the previous two shows, when two of them appeared to sandwich the other.