Paul Gregoire – Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto was in Canberra early last week to meet with soon-to-be counter-part-prime minister Anthony Albanese and to further negotiate a new defence deal, in his current capacity as Indonesian defence minister with our own defence minister Richard Marles.

As President of the ULMWP and on behalf of the people of West Papua, I welcome the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Communique reaffirming the 2019 call for a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visit to West Papua:

Leaders recalled their decision from 2019 and 2023 and noted the update from the Special Envoys.

Stanley Widianto and Johan Purnomo, Jakarta – Over 1,000 ride-hailing drivers staged a strike in several cities on Thursday to protest their low pay, calling on the government to provide more protection against what they said were unfair practices by on-demand services companies.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – Indonesia is importing growing amounts of paper and plastic scrap but remains ill-prepared to process the material, which is aggravating the country's already immense waste problem.

Alex Bainbridge, Magan-djin/Brisbane – More than 100 people marched through the streets of Magan-djin/Brisbane on August 30 as part of a School Strike 4 Climate student strike for West Papua.

"Right now my people, the people of West Papua are living through a painful reality," a message from Papuan activist Jeffrey which was read to the crowd said.

Barita News Lumbanbatu, Sipahutar, Indonesia – On the Indonesian island of Sumatra lives a man named Efron Simanjuntak. With a stern face and thick, graying mustache, he roams the forests near the village of Bona ni Dolok. Once a player in the region's illegal logging industry, he's now a dedicated forest protector.

Aryo Putranto Saptohutomo, Jakarta – The discourse on the House of Representatives (DPR) immediately passing the Draft Law on Asset Seizures (RUU Perampasan Aset) is seen as a counterattack by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to hide his disappointment because his political interests were not accommodated.

Jakarta – The government is reminding Indonesian migrant workers to sign up to be members of the state employment insurance scheme BPJS Ketenagakerjaan.

Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has refuted claims that he played a role in obstructing Anies Baswedan's candidacy for the 2024 gubernatorial elections in Jakarta and West Java.

Jokowi said the decision to nominate candidates is determined by political parties and their coalitions, which operate under their own processes.

Antara, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor candidate Ridwan Kamil has addressed the controversy surrounding his old tweets that recently resurfaced on social media. He acknowledged that his views have changed since becoming a public official and apologized for his past comments.

Jakarta – A member of the House of Representatives' special committee on the haj, Iskan Qolba Lubis, questioned the Religious Affairs Ministry on Thursday on the reasons behind the late departure of some haj pilgrims.

Muhammad Ridwan – The Instagram account belonging to Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), @sahabaticw (@friendsoficw), was suspended or temporarily blocked by Meta. The reason given was that it had violated the internal platform rules.

Gantry Meilana, Dili, East Timor – East Timor on Friday celebrated the 25th anniversary of a U.N.-backed referendum that secured its independence from its major neighbor Indonesia, which invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975.

M Ambari, Jakarta – A milestone debt-for-nature agreement to conserve coral reefs in Indonesia, the world's largest archipelagic country, has drawn a mix of optimism and skepticism from environmentalists.

Jakarta – Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, has recently been in hot water over allegations of gratification and his business ventures.

Asad Asnawi, Pacitan, Indonesia – Indonesia's mining ministry has ordered a suspension of operations at a controversial copper mine on Java Island following claims by local farmers that it was responsible for massive pollution wrecking the livelihoods of 200 families living downriver.

Advist Khairunikmah, Jakarta – The Jakarta Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) said Dharma Pongrekun-Kun Wardana did not violate Election Law for misusing Jakarta voter IDs to register as gubernatorial candidates in the upcoming regional head election.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition pushes the Indonesian government to use the upcoming submission of the Second Nationally Determined Contribution (SNDC) in September as momentum to correct its commitment to climate change and democracy.

Antara, Jakarta – Chairperson of the Government Commission at the House of Representatives (DPR) Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung said the parliament would evaluate the medium and long-term position of the Constitutional Court (MK). Doli said MK often undertakes matters outside of its authorized duty.

Jakarta – The Indonesian public recently spotlighted the link between the subsidiaries of SEA Limited, Shopee, and Garena, to President Jokowi's youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep, and his wife, Erina Gudono.

This occurred after Indonesians suspected that the Gulfstream private jet that Kaesang and Erina boarded to the United States belonged to Garena Online (Private) Limited.

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) updated its report on the number of evacuees from the flash flood disaster in Rua Village, Ternate City, North Maluku. Thus far, the number of evacuees has increased from 150 to 250 people.

Antara, Jakarta – PT PLN (Persero), through its subsidiary PLN Batam, in collaboration with PT Aruna Cahaya Pratama (Aruna PV), has successfully launched Indonesia's largest ground-mounted solar power plant, Antara reported.

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) plans to ask Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, to clarify his use of a private jet on a recent overseas trip, as well as who paid for the travel, its deputy chief said on Wednesday.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) and the government have agreed on the 2025 State Budget assumptions, setting the rupiah exchange rate at Rp 16,000 per US dollar, slightly lower than the government's proposed Rp 16,100.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini, commonly known as Risma, has been officially nominated as the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) candidate for East Java governor, with Muslim scholar Zahrul Azhar Asad as her running mate for the November 27 election.

Teguh Adi Prasetyo, Sella Rizky, Medikantyo Adhikresna, Jakarta – Thousands of online motorcycle taxi (ojek) and courier drivers rallied in Central Jakarta's Monas area on Thursday, demanding fairer tariffs and legal recognition for their profession.

Yvette Tanamal, Jakarta – The government has ordered thousands of doses of mpox vaccines from Denmark in an effort to prevent the illness' spread, amid escalating global concern over the viral infection.

A shipment of 1,600 vaccine doses, the second from the Scandinavian country, is expected to arrive next week, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said on Tuesday.

Jakarta – This week we saw more candidates submit their bids for the local elections, and without President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's youngest son Kaesang Pangarep on the ballot, thanks to the Constitutional Court rulings that aim to foster more competitive races for regional heads across the country in November.

Jakarta – The public should be educated on the health risks of consuming foods and drinks with high sugar content, an official at the Women's Empowerment and Children Protection Ministry said on Tuesday.

Indonesia, West Papua – A member of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) special unit shot Mr Charles Kogoya, 24, in front of the GIDI Jerusalem Church in Karubaga Town, Tolikara Regency, Papua Pegunungan Province, on 21 August 2024.

Indonesia, West Papua – In late June 2024, Ms Tineke Rumkabu participated in the 53rd session of the Permanent People's Tribunal (PPT) in London via Zoom.

Ahmad Shoim, Surabaya – Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini, commonly known as Risma, has announced plans to step down from her ministerial duties to concentrate on her gubernatorial campaign in East Java.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has, once again, postponed his planned relocation to Nusantara in East Kalimantan, saying that he will wait for the future capital's airport to be up and running first.

Jakarta – The South Sumatra Police have arrested a man trying to sell elephant tusks and the horns of critically endangered rhinos via social media.

The illegal wildlife trade remains rampant in Indonesia, where law enforcement is lax, but the arrested man could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, the environmental ministry said in a statement late Wednesday.

Jakarta – Gerindra Party politician Ahmad Riza Patria and his running mate Marshel Widianto, a comedian, have withdrawn their candidacies in the South Tangerang, Banten, mayoral race after the party decided to instead back incumbent Benyamin Davnie, who has already received support from some of Gerindra's partners in the February presidential election.

Yohanes Maharso Joharsoyo, Jakarta – Two students have filed a report with the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) alleging abuse by law enforcement officers during a demonstration against the Regional Election Bill on August 22, 2024.

Niniek Karmini, David Rising and Nicole Winfield, Dili, Timor-Leste – When the Vatican acknowledged in 2022 that the Nobel Peace Prize-winning, East Timorese independence hero Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo had sexually abused young boys, it appeared that the global clergy sexual abuse scandal that has compromised the Catholic Church's credibility around the world had finally arrived in

Resty Woro Yuniar – Students and pro-democracy activists in Indonesia have dismissed allegations that recent nationwide protests against proposed changes to the election law were backed by the Central Intelligence Agency or other foreign agents, as observers warn such claims could be used to stifle future dissent.

Kiki Siregar, Jakarta – Much is at stake in Indonesia's upcoming local elections in November and the outcomes could shape the political landscape and determine the country's progress over the next five years, said analysts.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) on Thursday denied ever considering Anies Baswedan as a candidate for the Jakarta gubernatorial election, clarifying that he was never the party's nominee.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has reportedly declined an offer from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to run as their gubernatorial candidate for West Java, just hours before the candidate registration deadline on Thursday evening.

Jakarta and Malang, Indonesia – Australia said it planned to hold its largest-ever military exercise with Indonesia in November, the first under a new defense pact the two neighbors signed on Thursday, signaling deepening ties in a region fraught with geopolitical tensions.

Andreas Harsono – It was an extraordinary sight for Indonesia: On August 28, protesters set up tents outside a government guesthouse in Yogyakarta city where the president, Joko Widodo, known as Jokowi, was staying the night after inaugurating a local market.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – A researcher from the Action for Ecology and People's Emancipation (AEER), Pius Ginting, believed that decarbonization efforts of the nickel industry would be unachievable as long as nickel production is unrestricted. Pius also said nickel downstream industry so far still uses coal as the main source of energy in smelters.

Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – Indonesia's Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono has requested an additional budget of Rp20.32 trillion for the development of Indonesia's new capital, Nusantara or IKN, in 2025.

Sukma Kanthi Nurani, Ilona Estherina, Haura Hamidah and Rachel Faradiba, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, held a meeting at his office on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, to discuss the potential of the Indonesian middle class.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has clarified a previous statement about feeling abandoned by a certain group. During an interview with reporters, he stated that his intention was to emphasize the importance of collective effort and unity within the community.

Jakarta – Prabowo Subianto has nothing to gain by supporting Jokowi's reckless destruction of democracy. It will be a burden for his administration.

Diva Suukyi Larasati, Jakarta – Jakarta State University (UNJ) lecturer Ubedilah Badrun reported Kaesang Pangarep to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), alleging that President Joko Widodo's youngest son had received a gratification in the form of a Gulfstream G650ER aircraft facility to travel to the United States.

Roy Adriansyah, Jakarta – A group of Muslim clerics and students visited the Industry Ministry's office in Jakarta on Wednesday, demanding the immediate closure of a distillery in Serang, arguing that its presence is an affront to the predominantly Muslim community in Banten province.