Beritasatu Team, Jakarta – Despite government efforts to reduce airfare, soaring domestic flight prices are forcing Indonesian travelers to seek cheaper routes for their Eid homecoming, commonly known as mudik.

Indonesia's Tempo magazine, known for its hard-hitting journalism and strong criticism of the country's government, received two separate packages containing dead animals on March 19 and March 22.

Indonesia, West Papua – On 24 March 2025, violence escalated in the Moanemani Village, Dogiyai Regency, Papua Tengah Province, as a group of police officers reportedly released warning shots and dispersed the crowd at the local market with teargas.

Gilang Kembara – When it comes to fleet modernisation program, the Indonesian navy seems to be biting off more than it can chew. It is not even clear why the navy is taking the bite. The news that it wants to buy the Italian navy's decommissioned aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi came as a surprise.

Surabaya – A violent clash broke out on March 24 in the Indonesian metropolis of Surabaya between police and demonstrators protesting against the country's newly passed military law, AFP journalists witnessed.

Around 1,000 students and activists dressed in black participated in the protest in front of an East Java government building.

Jakarta – The ratification of the Draft Law on the Indonesian Military (RUU TNI) on March 20 was followed by a wave of demonstrations around the country. Actions by civil society groups continued on March 23-24 with several rallies continuing into evening which were marred by repressive actions by the police.

A tough time lies ahead for Indonesian miners and mineral processing firms now that the government plans to at least double royalties for 12 mining products under the guise of "getting a fairer share" of the country's natural resources.

Taufik Wijaya, Palembang, Indonesia – The pempek restaurants in the Plaju neighborood were full to the gills in early March. Palembang chefs pulverized mudfish caught from the Musi River into subtle variations of the historic city's specialty fish cake.

Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – The Labor Party President Said Iqbal condemned Presidential Office Head Hasan Nasbi's response to the pig head terror against Tempo. When the journalist asked about the terror, Hasan Nasbi instead suggested cooking the pig head.

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – Chairperson of the Law and Legislation Commission of the Press Council, Arif Zulkifli, stated that the terror against journalists disturbs the public's right to information. He condemned the terror of a package containing a pig's head and rat carcasses sent by unknown individuals to Tempo editorial office.

Reverend Socrates Yoman, President of the West Papuan Baptist Church, addressed MPs today (24th March 2025) at a West Papua APPG meeting in the UK Parliament.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura, Indonesia – A West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) rebel commander claimed responsibility for an attack that killed a teacher and injured six others in Indonesia's Papua region.

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – The Forestry Ministry of Indonesia reported that Indonesia's forest area in 2024 reached 95.5 million hectares, accounting for 51.1 percent of the country's total land area.

Agus Budi Santosa, Director of Forest Inventory and Monitoring, stated that this figure was derived from annual monitoring of forest conditions and deforestation rates.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – The Chairperson of the Student Executive Board of Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Tiyo Ardianto, has faced various threats and intimidation following the protest against the revision of TNI Law at the Regional Representatives Council (DPRD) building, Yogyakarta, on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto asked his aides to improve public and media communication, warning that the people must not receive false opinions and narratives. Prabowo's request is conveyed by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Sudaryono, after a meeting with the president at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday, March 24, 2025.

Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu'ti, stated that personnel of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) who are part of the teaching program in certain regions are categorized as volunteers and not permanent teachers.

Jakarta – Indonesia's benchmark stock index tumbled for a second straight session on Monday, reflecting growing investor unease over global economic uncertainty. The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) fell 96.96 points, or 1.55 percent, to close at 6,161.2, as widespread losses hit nearly all sectors.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto officially inaugurated 31 Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors (LBBP) of the Republic of Indonesia at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

The newly appointed ambassadors will represent Indonesia in various strategic regions worldwide, including several international organizations.

Didik Fibrianto, Rifqy Danwanus, Riza, Achmad Ali, Sukabumi/Surabaya/Palangka Raya/Malang – Protests against Indonesia's newly revised military law erupted into violent clashes between students and security forces in several cities on Monday, leaving multiple people injured and dozens detained.

Tria Dianti – Indonesian prosecutors are preparing to try an ex-police official whose alleged sexual crimes were discovered after Australian authorities found dark-web videos they believed were recorded in the Southeast Asian country.

Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – The Legal Aid Institute for the Press or LBH Pers urges the National Police Headquarters to thoroughly investigate the case of terror against Tempo. LBH Pers Director Mustafa Layong stated that this attack is not the first and has occurred systematically, reflecting impunity for the perpetrators.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Editor-in-Chief of Tempo, Setri Yasra, expresses gratitude to fellow media, civil society coalitions, and various parties for their support amidst the recent acts of terror directed at the Tempo editorial office. According to Yasra, the solidarity of various groups has enabled Tempo to endure difficult times.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Health will perform drug tests on road users during the 2025 Eid homecoming season, the ministry spokesperson Widyawati confirmed, as a preventive measure against this year's annual surge in travel.

M. Rizki Yusrial, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said around 11 percent of Indonesians lack access to banking services. According to him, the government, in its attempt to achieve financial inclusion, is intensifying efforts to improve public access to formal financial services.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – Deputy Minister of Manpower, Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan, said the terror directed towards Tempo poses a threat to democracy, as the media entity is considered the fourth pillar of democracy.

Tempo.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia's Labor Party President Said Iqbal strongly condemned the acts of terror, including the delivery of a pig's head and rat carcasses to the Tempo office. He suspects that these threats against Tempo will persist.

M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – The Head of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Information Center, Brigadier General Kristomei Sianturi, confirmed that the recent attack on teachers and healthcare workers in Anggruk District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Mountains, resulted in one fatality.

Prisma Ardianto, Jakarta – Indonesia's two largest banks, Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) and Bank Central Asia (BCA), collectively managed nearly 29 percent of the country's total public savings as of February, according to the latest data from Bank Indonesia.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Foreigners visiting Bali must pay a levy worth Rp 150,000 or around $9 to spend time in the tourist haven, according to the new rules set by the local government.

Jakarta – Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and renowned U.S. investor Ray Dalio have been appointed to the Advisory Council of Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund Danantara, whose full organizational structure was officially announced on Monday.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Major credit rating agencies have maintained Indonesia's sovereign rating at the same investment grade since before the pandemic but are watching policy decisions carefully to decide whether any future change would be upward or downward.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – National news magazine Tempo has received another anonymous package containing animal carcasses in what appears to be an effort to intimidate the outlet's journalists for its reporting, raising concerns over shrinking civic space and freedom of speech in the country.

Jakarta – Activists have called for press freedom to be protected in the country and demanded an investigation after a magazine critical of the government was sent a pig's head and decapitated rats.

Eduard Gismatullin and Norman Harsono – Indonesian stocks trimmed losses after the country's new sovereign wealth fund said two former presidents will be advisors, easing market concerns over its leadership.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) backs the Indonesia National Police's efforts to conduct a thorough investigation into the terror case targeting Tempo. IPW Chairman Sugeng Teguh Santoso stressed that authorities must take this case seriously and uncover the mastermind behind the attack.

Ni Kadek Trisna Cintya Dewi, Jakarta – Professor Ni Made Anggita Sastri Mahadewi, a Sociology lecturer at Udayana University, referred to the pig's head terror against Tempo media office as a form of coercive social control.

"I see it in terms of social control," Anggita said in a written message to Tempo on Friday, March 21, 2025.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – In less than a week, Tempo's editorial office received two packages containing animal carcasses. The recent string of terror against journalists has raised concerns about the threat to press freedom.

Christine Rovoi – A human rights group in New Zealand has welcomed support from several Pacific island nations for West Papua, which has been under Indonesian military occupation since the 1960s.

West Papua is a province in the far east of Indonesia, centred on the island of New Guinea. Half of the eastern side of New Guinea is Papua New Guinea.

Intan Setiawanty, Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – The Journalist Safety Committee (KKJ) urged President Prabowo Subianto to show his commitment to press freedom. According to KKJ, the terror acts against Tempo are a test for the new administration to prove whether they are truly in support of press freedom.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) believes that cases of violence and terror against journalists are becoming increasingly worrying. This is evident from AJI's records, which shows that there were 22 cases of terror and violence against journalists in the first three months of 2025 alone.

Didik Fibrianto, Malang, East Java – A protest against the recently amended military law turned violent in the East Java city of Malang on Sunday evening, as demonstrators set fire to two security posts at the city legislative council compound.

At least 11 people were injured in the incident, including seven members of the police and military, authorities said.

Nugie Tangkepayung, Jayapura – The Indonesian Military on Sunday alleged that an armed group linked to the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) was responsible for the recent attack that killed a female teacher and injured six other people.

Wahyu Sahala Tua, Jakarta – Musician Riefian Fajarsyah, the newly appointed CEO of state-run film company Produksi Film Negara (PFN), said on Saturday that his task won't be a walk in the park, as he must deal with the financial hardship currently plaguing the company.

Jakarta – Activists have called for press freedom to be protected in Indonesia and demanded an investigation after a magazine critical of the government was sent a pig's head and decapitated rats.

Maia Ingoe – Greenpeace says Fonterra's palm kernel supply chain is tainted by connections to deforestation in Southeast Asia, as new evidence highlights New Zealand's major exporters to illegal plantations.

Two major exporters of palm kernel to New Zealand have been found to source kernel from illegal operations in Indonesia's Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve in Sumatra.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – Brand-new commuter trains imported from China will soon begin operating in Greater Jakarta, according to an executive of the city's railway operator KAI Commuter.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Executive Director of the Legal Aid Institute for the Press or LBH Pers, Mustafa Layong, stated that the terror of sending animal carcasses to Tempo is a form of threat to journalistic work. He urged the government not to take the series of attacks on the press lightly.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Police's Food Task Force has named 11 suspects in the case of MinyaKita cooking oil, where the actual volume of the product did not match the labeled measurements. The suspects were located across various regions, including West Java, Banten, East Java, and Gorontalo.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition has urged President Prabowo Subianto to review the position of Hasan Nasbi, the Head of the Presidential Communication Office, following his statement regarding the pig's head threat directed at Tempo journalists.

Tri Subarkah – Unlike generations who came before us, late millennials were too young to understand what transpired during May 1998. I was four years old then, preoccupied with toys at home or circling my neighborhood with the rascals. I had not even attended kindergarten. Homework was a foreign concept. Pure joy and naivete, and some cries.