Jakarta – The piles of garbage the size of a soccer field close to Muara Bakti village, Babelan district, Bekasi regency, West Java, have caused unrest among nearby residents.

The 200-meter-long wasteland is a former excavation site about 5 m deep along the Kali Cikarang Bekasi Laut River.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) has ruled that President Prabowo Subianto's explicit endorsement of Central Java gubernatorial candidate Ahmad Luthfi and his running mate Taj Yasin Maimoen did not constitute an election violation, allowing the Gerindra party patron to go scot-free.

Anwar Siswadi (Kontributor), Jakarta – Heavy rains in Bandung from the afternoon to the evening of Wednesday, November 20, caused the Citarum River and several other rivers to overflow. As a result, residents' houses in Dayeuh Kolot and Bojongsoang districts were flooded up to 1 meter deep.

Theressia Sunday Silalahi, Jakarta – The Golkar Party's leadership under Chairman Bahlil Lahadalia has been officially legitimized with the issuance of a new decree from the Law and Human Rights Ministry for the 2024-2029 term. The decree, presented on Wednesday, confirms the party's structure, putting an end to rumors of legal disputes over its bylaws.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Diky Anindya urged the House of Representatives (DPR) not to choose the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leader subjectively. He said this is especially true if the subjective choice favors the abolishment of sting operations (OTT) from the KPK.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) said that all provinces on the island of Papua will receive special attention due to their vulnerability to conflicts during regional elections.

Scott Waide – For a decade, Benny Wenda has tirelessly campaigned to secure West Papua's place in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), advocating for a voice in the regional arena.

Jakarta – Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan – An economic affairs advisor to President Prabowo Subianto – revealed Thursday that many foreign-owned businesses in Indonesia's tourist haven of Bali had been breaking the rules.

Jakarta – The Manpower Ministry has confirmed that it will not use Government Regulation (PP) No. 51/2023 as a reference for calculating minimum wage, including the upcoming 2025 provincial minimum wage (UMP).

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition, which consists of the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) and Transparency International Indonesia (TII), says that the selection of the new batch of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders for the 2024-2029 period had already been conditioned (decided on in advance).

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated that the impact of global climate change has led the government to decide to move the capital city from Jakarta to East Kalimantan. Prabowo highlighted the rising sea levels that have started to inundate some coastal areas in Indonesia.

Zhulfakar, Jakarta – Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan publicly endorsed Pramono Anung's candidacy for Jakarta governorship on Thursday and urged his supporters to follow suit.

Anies, whose reelection bid failed due to a lack of support from any major political party, joined Pramono at a campaign event in South Jakarta to show his explicit support.

Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) celebrated its 16th anniversary yesterday (November 19, 2008-November 19, 2024). Commemorations were held in several different regions, both inside and outside the land of Papua.

Grace el Dora, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto recently met with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for some talks on defense cooperation, among others, in Brazil.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – Deputy Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Alexander Marwata, said that sting operations, commonly known as operasi tangkap tangan (OTT), cannot be abolished because they are crucial in combating corruption and are protected by law.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) has decided to maintain the central bank's interest rate at 6 percent, the deposit facility rate at 5.25 percent, and the lending facility rate at 6.75 percent to keep inflation within the target range of 2.5 percent for 2024 and 2025 while supporting sustainable economic growth.

Tama Salim, Jakarta – Indonesia aims to enhance "good neighborliness" through its new joint development plan with China, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, assuring it will not compromise legal rights or jurisdiction in waters adjacent to a contested sea.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto and his entourage arrived on Wednesday morning at London Stansted Airport to meet with some of the United Kingdom's leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III.

Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka urged the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) to ensure the 2024 elections are conducted peacefully and without violence, following a deadly incident in Sampang, East Java.

Jakarta – The promise of multilateralism is under siege, and the evidence is stark. The recent impasses at COP29, APEC and the G20 summits reveal a troubling trend: multilateral forums have become battlegrounds for protectionist policies and geopolitical rivalries rather than platforms for resolving shared global challenges.

Jakarta – Indonesia has urged the international community, especially the Arab and Muslim world, to sever all economic, trade and investment ties with Israel as a means of pressuring the country to end its aggression against Palestine.

Warief Djajanto Basorie – Power is the proverbial drug that leaders find hard to quit. After ten years as Indonesia's president, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has passed the baton to Prabowo Subianto October 20.

However, Jokowi is no lame duck. He has made moves that can still allow his influence to be felt.

Baku, Azerbaijan – Climate finance needs to be increased under a new collective quantitative target to $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, Special Envoy, Ambassador for Climate Affairs of Timor-Leste Adao Soares Barbosa said as he delivered her national statement at the COP29 summit today, Trend reports.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Retired police general Benny Mamoto attributed the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) recent losses in pre-trial hearings to a lack of professionalism among its investigators.

Monique Handa Shafira, Jakarta – The planned value-added tax (VAT) hike, set to take effect on January 1, may hinder national economic growth, which relies heavily on household consumption, an analyst warned on Wednesday.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continues to urge the House of Representatives (DPR) to prioritize the Asset Forfeiture Bill, as its passage would strengthen efforts in fighting corruption.

Carolyn Cowan – Camera-trap surveys have documented a sizeable but struggling population of Sumatran tigers clinging on in unprotected forests in Indonesia's Aceh province.

RFA and Benar News Staff – Indonesia has officially asked Russia if it could buy more of its weapons, Russian media reported, signaling what an analyst said was an aim to diversify its sources of arms while retaining its non-aligned status.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The third debate of the Aceh Regional Election was forced to stop because supporters of the regional head candidates were involved in a brawl. These supporters were reported to push and argue with each other on the debate stage. The election debate took place at The Pade Hotel in Aceh Besar on Tuesday night, November 19, 2024.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) has determined that the Draft Law on Indigenous Peoples will be included in the 2025 National Legislation Program (Prolegnas). This bill was proposed to be included in the priority prolegnas for 2025 by three DPR members: Sulaeman Hamzah, Martin Manurung, and Rudianto Lallo.

Han Revanda, Jakarta – The Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas), Arief Prasetyo Adi, has expressed his intention to cease rice imports as early as next year. This goal aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture's accelerated paddy field expansion program.

Han Revanda Putra, Jakarta – Head of the Trade Policy Agency at the Indonesian Ministry of Trade, Fajarini Puntodewi, said Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election could revive the "America First" policy. The president-elect from the Republican Party is expected to prioritize domestic economic protection.

Wahyu Sahala Tua, Jakarta – The iconic Ford Mustang, a symbol of American muscle cars, is set to hit the Indonesian market next year.

Juan Ardya Guardiola, Jakarta – The upcoming hike on value-added tax (VAT) has sparked worries among Indonesian hotels and restaurants with the industry association saying that it could deal a blow to the overall sales.

Johnny Johan Sompotan, Jakarta – Instagram influencer Isa Zega, popularly known as Mami Online, is accused of violating Islamic teachings by wearing female clothing and performing the Umrah pilgrimage according to female guidelines, despite being a biological male.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The proposed increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate to 12 percent in 2025, which has faced widespread criticism, remains a topic of discussion and has not yet been finalized, according to Adies Kadir, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) for economic affairs.

Sukma Kanthi Nurani, Jakarta – PT Sarimelati Kencana Tbk (PZZA), the licensee of Pizza Hut in Indonesia, has reported a decline in both its outlet count and workforce.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) and the government on Tuesday have agreed to include 41 draft bills and revisions in the 2025 Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).

Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – The impending value-added tax (VAT) increase set to take effect next year is expected to exacerbate challenges for Indonesia's already struggling automotive industry amid weak sales performance, an executive from Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) warned on Tuesday.

M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – Deputy Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN) Ossy Dermawan stated that they will carry out the legalization of palm oil plantation land if the land is no longer part of the forest area. For this reason, the Ministry of ATR/BPN will coordinate with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry or KLHK.

Moh. Tamimi, Nagekeo, Indonesia – The land weighed on Mateus Bhui as he sifted the Rendubutowe soil through his fingers into a traditional container.

"To our ancestors: please don't be angry," Mateus said, repeating the lament as he clasped another handful of earth. "I never wanted to sell this land."

Yolanda Agne, Jakarta – The Charity Aid Foundation (CAF) has once again unveiled its annual World Giving Index 2024, and Indonesia has reclaimed its position as the world's most generous country for the seventh consecutive year.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has refuted allegations made by the legal team of former trade minister Tom Lembong regarding the arbitrary appointment of suspects in the sugar import corruption case. The AGO maintains that Tom's designation as a suspect adhered to legal procedures.

Jakarta – The investigation into the Communication and Digital Affairs Ministry employees backing online gambling is expanded to include many people. Ill-gotten gains from a political operation.

Negar Mohtashami Khojasteh, Montreal, Canada – In Indonesia's humid heat, I watched as dozens of men on motorcycles lingered outside the garment factory gates, their children hanging off their shoulders, as they waited for their partners to finish their shift. These men – many without jobs of their own – came to pick up the women who provide for their families.

Jakarta – Indonesia is considering the possibility of a new tax amnesty programme, a senior lawmaker said on Nov 19, which would be the country's third in the past decade despite criticism that repeatedly offering the relief could lead to more tax avoidance.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto recently called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine at the G20 Brazil Summit as the war hit the 1,000-day milestone.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Tuesday amended the law on the Jakarta administration and stipulated that the city's governors from the 2024 election onward will no longer be called the leader of the national capital.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Bima Arya Sugiarto, has revealed that President Prabowo Subianto has tasked the ministry to evaluate the current general election system.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto recently asked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help Indonesia train more doctors so the country can have enough physicians to treat its people.