Palangka Raya – Borneo, home to pristine rainforest and protected species, is burning. Meteorologist Safillah Anggie Wahyuni hopes a solution lies in the clouds.
Indonesia believes cloud seeding can help it tackle a wildfire season that experts say is on track to be among the worst in years, driven by a strong El Nino.
Responding to the Minister of Religious Affairs' claim that Indonesia had reached the peak of socio-religious harmony in Indonesia's history while reciting prayers for the 81st Indonesian Independence Day event, Amnesty International Indonesia Deputy Director Wirya Adiwena said:
Merauke, Jubi – Several former terrorism convicts in Merauke Regency are working to rebuild their lives in the community after completing their legal proceedings, including plans to establish an educational institution.
Petir Garda Bhwana, Jakarta – The University of Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI) is scheduled to hold a protest at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout (HI Roundabout) in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, to raise concerns over social, economic, and government policies as well as national sovereignty.
Wicaksono Gitawan, Cinthia Leone – Whenever war threatens one of the world's main oil shipping routes, governments are reminded of an old truth: energy security is never just another policy issue – it is a strategic imperative. It was true after the 1973 Arab oil embargo, and it is true again amid instability in the Strait of Hormuz.
Reza Hery Pamungkas, Jakarta – Police detained at least 21 people allegedly attempting to provoke clashes during a student protest in central Jakarta on Tuesday, as officers blocked University of Indonesia (UI) students from entering the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout.
Hans Nicholas Jong – Indonesia is experiencing one of its most severe fire seasons of recent years, with the scale of burning raising comparisons with the catastrophic fires of 2019.
On 23 August, forest monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas recorded more than 268,000 hotspots, far more than the 196,000 hotspots recorded at the same time in 2019.
Dio Ashar Wicaksana – Conflict between the Attorney General's Office (Kejaksaan) and the National Police (Polri) has once again attracted public attention.
Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Officers from the Jakarta Metropolitan Police apprehended dozens of people shortly before a student protest at the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout in Central Jakarta. Police arrested them at various locations surrounding the protest site.
Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority held a ceremony to commemorate Indonesia's 81st Independence Day on Monday, August 17, 2026. Held at Plaza Seremoni at IKN, East Kalimantan, the event cost approximately Rp2 billion.
Ary Hermawan and Norshahril Saat – President Prabowo Subianto was absent from a key event organised by the Ulema Council of Indonesia (MUI) in late July. This is his second absence from the organisation's activities. He was also absent from MUI's congress last year, an event which appoints its top leaders.
Wamena, Jubi – Agus Kossay, chairman of the Central Committee of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), has urged police in Jayapura City and Jayapura Regency, Papua, to learn from police chiefs in three other regions in Papua in handling demonstrations.
Agencies, Mbay/Ende, East Nusa Tenggara – Residents of villages in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) hit by a deadly earthquake that killed at least 54 people were awaiting aid on Monday as rescuers prepared to comb through collapsed buildings in search of people trapped beneath the rubble.
Riza, Students at Baiti Jannati Islamic boarding school are being treated for suspected food poisoning at Al-Mulk Regional Hospital in Sukabumi, West Java, Sunday, Aug – 16, 2026. (B-Universe Photo/Rizal)
Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – The Association of All Indonesian Workers' Unions (Aspirasi) believes that the Independence Day celebration must be realized through decent jobs, fair wages, employment security, social protection, and a more prosperous future for all.
Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesia's 81st Independence Day celebrations saw soldiers jumping 10,000 feet with a parachute. On Monday, August 17, seventeen parachutists from the Indonesian National Armed Forces' Special Forces Command (Kopassus) gathered close in a mid-air formation before landing on the National Monument field across from the Palace.
Mazka Hauzan Naufal, Pati – The 81st Indonesian Independence Day commemorations took place in a solemn atmosphere at Omah Kendeng in Sukolilo district, Pati regency, Central Java, on Monday August 17.
Albertus Pepi Kurniawan, Theressia Silalahi, Muhammad Aulia Rahman, East Nusa Tenggara – Residents displaced by the powerful earthquake that struck Indonesia's Flores region remained in evacuation shelters on Monday as aftershocks continued to rattle parts of East Nusa Tenggara province, while emergency aid began moving into affected areas.
Laurens Ikinia, Jakarta – As Indonesia marks the 81st anniversary of its independence on Monday - 17 August – the republic has much to celebrate.
Over eight decades, Indonesia has transformed itself from a newly independent archipelago into one of the world's largest democracies and economies, holding together an extraordinarily diverse nation across thousands of islands.
Hendro D Situmorang, Jakarta – Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarta says around 10% of the seven million children screened through the Health Ministry's free health screening program in 2025-2026 showed signs of mental health problems.
Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Indonesia's Legal Aid Institute (LBH) of Banda Aceh revealed that there has been a deployment of Indonesian National Army (TNI) soldiers since a day before the 21st commemoration of Aceh Peace Day on August 15, 2026.
Ricky Juliansyah, Jakarta – The University of Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI), together with the Alliance of Student Executive Boards across Indonesia and civil society groups, will hold a protest under the hashtag #ReclaimIndependence at the Hotel Indonesia (HI) Roundabout in Jakarta on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.
Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's outstanding government debt rose 12.65% year-on-year to Rp 10,293.69 trillion ($576 billion) as of June 30, the Finance Ministry reported on Wednesday.
The debt was equivalent to 41.26% of gross domestic product (GDP), remaining below the statutory ceiling of 60%.
Marchio Gorbiano, Ruteng, East Nusa Tenggara – Thousands of evacuees waited for help Sunday on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) after a powerful earthquake killed 48 people, injured dozens and damaged hundreds of houses and buildings.
Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Indonesia's Aceh Regional Police personnel briefly detained several residents following the 21st Aceh Peace Day commemoration, which resulted in a clash with the security forces in front of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, Banda Aceh City, on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Kurniawan Arif Maspul – On the morning of 15 August 2026, the 21st anniversary of the Helsinki peace accord that ended three decades of bloody conflict in Aceh, something broke.
Max Lane – On March 31, Prof. Dr. Saiful Mujani of State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and Director of Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) created a controversy when he asked at a large gathering of political commentators: "The only way is this: can we consolidate ourselves to bring down Prabowo, that's all."
Hundreds of members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and students from Cenderawasih University (Uncen) clashed with police in Jayapura City on Saturday (August 15, 2026). The demonstrators were commemorating the tragic event of the 64th anniversary of the New York Agreement.
Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian lawmaker Bambang Soesatyo has called on law enforcement authorities to investigate the display of the bendera bulan bintang, or crescent-and-star flag, at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh on Saturday, August 15.
8Merauke, Jubi – Merauke Archbishop Mgr. Petrus Canisius Mandagi has called on Catholics to embrace love, forgiveness and peace in responding to continuing violence in Papua, including Papua Selatan.
Sorong, Jubi – Three civilians were reportedly shot in Muara Aifam, East Central Aifat district, Maybrat Regency, Southwest Papua province, on Thursday evening (Aug. 13, 2026). The alleged shooters were Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) personnel stationed at Sory Post.
Aida Ulim, Jayapura – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) have declared their political stance against the New York Agreement signed by the Indonesian and Dutch governments 64 years ago, on August 15, 1962.
Zuhri Noviandi, Banda Aceh – The Banda Aceh Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) says the chaos that occurred during the 21st Aceh Peace Day commemoration at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque has done irreparable damage to the momentum of Aceh's peace.
Teguh Adi Prasetyo, Kupang, NTT – The death toll from a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province early Saturday has risen to 14, with dozens of homes and public facilities damaged, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said.
Jayapura – A peaceful demonstration by Papuan people and students mediated by the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) at Sentani Post 7 and the Waena State Housing Company (Perumnas) III on Saturday August 15 was forcibly dispersed by security forces from the Jayapura and Sentani Municipal Police (Polres) and the Papua Regional Police (Polda).
Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta - The Shadow Cabinet, a civil society movement that scrutinizes President Prabowo Subianto's administration by appointing shadow ministers, issued several critiques regarding the president's state address. According to Bhima Yudhistira, the Shadow Cabinet's Minister of Finance and Budget Governance, the speech was unrealistic.
Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has issued a critical assessment of the points made by President Prabowo Subianto in his 2026 State of the Nation address to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) of the Republic of Indonesia.
Erfan Maruf, Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan – Vice President Gibran Rakabuming is expected to begin working from the vice presidential palace in Nusantara, Indonesia's planned new capital in East Kalimantan, later this year, according to the head of the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN).
Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Indonesia risks losing tourists to competing destinations if it doubles the fee for visitors obtaining a Visa on Arrival, the country's tour and travel industry has warned, as immigration authorities propose raising the cost to as much as Rp1 million ($56).
Responding to the President's State of the Nation address today at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) annual session, Amnesty International Indonesia's (AII) Executive Director Usman Hamid said:
Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – Inequality in Indonesia has multiplied over the past three decades, a situation mirrored across many resource-dependent Global South countries, with the solution being an inclusive economic growth rather than excessive state intervention, according to academics.
In his State of the Nation address before the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) on August 14, President Prabowo Subianto stated that his administration had implemented 121 transformative policies in 21 months.
Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto has proposed creating a special ad hoc court to investigate alleged legal violations by executives of Indonesia's state-owned enterprises (SOEs), including those who served in the past three decades.
Jayanty Nada Shofa & Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – The spotlight will fall on President Prabowo Subianto's second State of the Nation address on Friday, with economists reminding the leader to address problems head-on and avoid setting sky-high targets for 2027.
Jayapura, Jubi – Yayasan Bentala Pusaka and Satya Bumi have launched two Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) reports examining the impacts of National Strategic Projects (PSN) in Papua Selatan province. The reports were launched in Padang Bulan, Heram district, Jayapura City, on Thursday (Aug. 13, 2026).
Wamena, Jubi – Two districts in Nduga Regency, Papua Pegunungan province, have been hit by drought following a dry season that has persisted since April 2026, with conditions expected to peak between June and August. The affected areas are Wutpaga and Nenggeagin districts.
Yerica La – Former presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Megawati Soekarnoputri were notably absent from the annual People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) plenary meeting on Friday, to hear President Prabowo Subianto deliver his second State of the Nation address as the country's president.
Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta - Constitutional law expert Bivitri Susanti from the Indonesia Jentera School of Law criticized President Prabowo Subianto's proposal to grant amnesty to high-ranking officials of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Prabowo proposed this in his speech at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Annual Session on Friday, August 14, 2026.
Yenni Kwok, Numbing Island, Indonesia – The waters off Numbing Island, part of the Riau archipelago between Sumatra and Singapore, are among Indonesia's richest fishing grounds. Local fisher Edy says the abundant fish stocks have enabled him to support his family and pay for his children's university education.
Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – Indonesia has seen an alarming surge in land and forest fires over the past month, with thick haze from burning in Kalimantan reaching neighboring Malaysia and prompting authorities there to close more than 100 schools.