Junaidi Hanafiah, Central Aceh, Indonesia – Mak Besan dropped a clutch of cayenne peppers picked from a neighbor's land in Karang Ampar village into a white canvas bag, her head protected from the elements by a heavy, patterned shawl.

Jakarta – Coal firms in major CO2 emitter Indonesia are overlooking planet-warming methane emissions, obscuring the full environmental impact of their operations, according to a report published on July 29.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – The sudden dismissal of hundreds of nonpermanent teachers in Jakarta in mid-July, the beginning of this academic year, came as a bolt from the blue for Imam, not his real name, as a large slice is to be cut from his income.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – In a strategic move to ensure a seamless transition of power, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has appointed three new deputy ministers closely linked to his political ally and successor, president-elect Prabowo Subianto.

Jakarta – Ahead of the October succession, the political establishment has been busy setting up the balance of power under the new administration by revising key laws.

Agencies, Nusantara, East Kalimantan – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo spent his first night in the eagle-shaped palace of the country's proposed new capital Nusantara ahead of official meetings on Monday, as the outgoing leader works to allay fears about the beleaguered infrastructure project.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo and other top officials claim not to be aware of a person identified only as T, who is suspected of being the mastermind behind online gambling operations in the country.

Syakirun Ni'am, Icha Rastika, Jakarta – A Kompas Research and Development (Litbang Kompas) survey has revealed that 61.3 percent of respondents say they are dissatisfied with the performance of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for the period 2019-2024.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Yovanda Noni, Penajam Paser Utara – Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi reported that the rolling stock for the Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) has arrived in Balikpapan, with trial runs set to commence on August 5 in Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara (IKN).

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Agung Dharma Putra, Ahmad Shoim, Jakarta – The House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission III has called on the Supreme Court and Judicial Commission to investigate the judges who acquitted Gregorius Ronald Tannur, the son of a former legislator, accused of assaulting and killing his girlfriend, Dini Sera Afriyanti on Oct. 3, 2023.

Nugroho Adi Sasongko – The Indonesian government's policy to ban raw nickel ore exports from January 2020 was a game changer, driving significant investments in downstream processing industries.

Maria Gabrielle Putrinda, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The General Election Commission (KPU) on Sunday certified the results from the West Sumatra legislative election, which saw ex-corruption convict Irman Gusman elected as one of the four senators from the province.

Jack Moore – Sofyan Sabi's sea-dwelling community has fished beneath the waves off the Indonesian coast for centuries, but climate change and overfishing have forced him and many of his contemporaries on land to make a living.

Hendrik Khoirul Muhid, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi has officially launched the Golden Visa Indonesia last Thursday, July 25, 2024. The launch of the policy, which is expected to attract investors to invest in the country, is said to contain risks.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The issue of national food security has become increasingly concerning, with skyrocketing food price inflation amid overall low inflation and a rising amount of rice imports.

Michelle Gabriela, Jakarta – 28 years ago, riots broke out in Jakarta that became known as the Kudatuli incident or the July 27, 1996 riots. On that Saturday, the riots are recorded as a dark historical incident in the world of Indonesian politics.

Jakarta – The United Development Party (PPP) was officially ousted from the House of Representatives for the first time since the party's founding after failing to meet the threshold in the last legislative election whose results were certified on Sunday.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno stated that several tourist destinations have been prepared around the new capital city Nusantara, or IKN, to welcome the 79th Independence Day anniversary commemoration ceremony on August 17, 2024.

Stefani Wijaya, Maria Gabrielle, Jakarta – Benny Rhamdani, the Head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI), claimed in a forum that an individual known as "T" is orchestrating online gambling operations in Indonesia.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Paris – State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan to discuss the potential of Indonesia's digital economy, which is projected to reach Rp 4,500 trillion by 2030.

Tri Listiyarini, Jakarta – The United States continues to be the primary export market for Indonesian seafood and fish products for the first half of 2024, with a value of $889.39 million.

Jakarta – Social media has been abuzz these past weeks with examples of scores of regional government websites and programs using names that appear to objectify women and perpetuate the deeply embedded patriarchal culture in society.

Jakarta – Public order officers in Bali have seized hundreds of dog skewers and dozens of kilograms of raw dog meat, officials said on Thursday.

The resort island banned the dog meat trade last year, with offenders facing up to three months in prison or up to Rp 50 million (US$3,071) fines if found guilty, but the trade still exists in other parts of the country.

Amy Sood – As Prabowo Subianto prepares to take over Indonesia's presidency in October, experts say efforts are already under way to ensure the incoming leader fills his cabinet with loyalists who could help him achieve some of his more ambitious campaign promises.

Yogyakarta – A group of people held a silent demonstration in front of the Aisyiyah University (Unisa) in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta, which is to be the location of a Muhammadiyah Central Board (PP) plenary meeting on Saturday afternoon, July 27.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is stepping up cooperation with Chinese companies to increase the country's oil and gas reserves and production, according to Director of Upstream Oil and Gas Business Development Ariana Soemanto.

Putu Merta Surya Putra, Jakarta – Hundreds of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) cadres and sympathisers commemorated the Kudatuli incident (the July 27, 1996 riots) on Friday July 26 by holding a long-march from the PDI-P Central Leadership Board (DPP) office on Jalan Diponegoro to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) office on Jalan Latuarhary.

Maria Gabrielle, Jakarta – The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) has uncovered alleged transactions related to child prostitution. According to PPATK head Ivan Yustiavandana, these transactions involve 24,049 children aged 10 to 18 years.

Medan – A team from the North Sumatra Committee for the Safety of Journalists (KKJ Sumut) and Kamisan (Thursday Action) activists are urging the North Sumatra regional police (Polda) to investigate First Corporal (Koptu) HB over the alleged premeditated murder of Tribrata TV journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu, who died along with his family in an arson attack on their home on June 27

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has ordered a palm oil company to pay 1 billion rupiah ($61,000) in fines for shortchanging villagers by not sufficiently paying them according to a profit-sharing agreement.

Fransiska Nangoy, Jakarta – Chinese companies are in talks with potential investors to reduce their stakes in Indonesian nickel smelters amid efforts to make their products eligible for U.S. electric vehicle tax credits, an Indonesian official said on Friday.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Agung Dharma Putra, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has raised suspicions over the Surabaya District Court's decision to acquit Gregorius Ronald Tannur, the son of a legislator, who was accused of assaulting his girlfriend, Dini Sera Afrianti, leading to her death.

Rama Sukarta, Jakarta – Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, known as Zulhas, along with the Imported Goods Monitoring Task Force, has uncovered a warehouse in North Jakarta suspected of housing illegal imported goods.

Bella Evanglista, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo officially inaugurated the operational phase of the Batang Integrated Industrial Area (KITB) in Central Java on Friday.

In his speech, President Jokowi mentioned that KITB initially spanned 400 hectares, but due to high demand, the government decided to expand it.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, better known as Kadin, has warmly welcomed the freshly launched investor magnet "golden visa" program.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo launched Thursday the golden visa program that would let foreigners stay in the country for 5-10 years as long as they invest a certain amount of money.

Ilham Oktafian, Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has arrested Ujang Iskandar, a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) from the National Democratic Party (Nasdem), at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Friday.

Jakarta – Indonesia is going through a limited rather than total political transition this year. Some will resent that, others will applaud it, but nobody can deny it.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko Widodo on July 26 launched the second phase of an industrial complex in Central Java intended to attract investors looking to diversify their supply chains away from China.

Ahmad Syamsudin and Pizaro Gozali Idrus, Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's decision to start official duties from the new capital on Sunday may be a move to hype his legacy project before he leaves office in October, some analysts told BenarNews.

Jakarta – Businesses and experts are urging the government to pay attention to the petrochemical industry, which is suffering from an influx of imported goods after the 2024 Trade Ministry regulation on imports (Permendag No 8/2024) came into force.

Wijayanti Putri, Jakarta – Vice President-Elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka said Friday that the government would be open to suggestions to make sure that the upcoming free school meal program will go smoothly.

Candra Kurnia, Cirebon – Prosecutors in the West Java town of Cirebon on Friday defended the murder convictions of eight men implicated in the 2016 deaths of teenage girl Vina Dewi Arsita and her boyfriend, Muhammad Rizky Rudiana, alias Eky.

Jakarta – Rather than establishing a Supreme Advisory Council, Prabowo Subianto should form a council of critics. Its job would be to examine policies.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is aiming to reduce logistics costs from 14.29 percent to 8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to encourage more efficient and competitive economic growth.

Aliansi Demokrasi untuk Papua (AlDP, Democratic Alliance) are releasing their new report, titled "Treason and Political Prisoners in the Land of Papua" on 26th July 2024. This report forms a joint research output with TAPOL, a human rights organisation based in the UK.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – In a recent meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations at The World Bank, lauded Indonesia's impressive economic performance and the success of various government initiatives.

Rt Hon Winston Peters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Parliament Buildings
Wellington

25 July 2024

Kia ora Minister Peters,

Top leaders of Indonesia's two major Islamic organizations have expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming visit of Pope Francis to their nation, calling it a special occasion to embolden trust and harmony between religious communities.

Pes Yanengga, Jayapura – The All-Papua Student Executive Council (BEM Se-Tanah Papua) Alliance has urged the Papua Regional Police Chief (Kapolda) and the Manokwari Municipal Police (Polresta) to immediately reveal the perpetrator of the shooting of the senior advocate and human rights activist Yan Christian Warinussy.

A'an Suryana and Syafiq Hasyim – Whether they were made use of or knew what they were doing, the actions of five young Nadhlatul Ulama members during their recent trip to Israel have stirred up a hornet's nest.