Delfi Neski, Effendi Rusli, Padang/Pekanbaru – A massive blackout swept across Sumatra island on Friday evening after a major disruption in the regional power transmission system, leaving millions of residents without electricity and crippling traffic and public activity in several provinces.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – All Indonesian citizens who were held captive by Israel while participating in the Gaza humanitarian mission Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 have been released. They are currently in transit in Istanbul, Turkey, for examination before being repatriated to Indonesia.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has urged investors and stakeholders to remain calm and trust its policy direction, particularly regarding the establishment of PT Danantara Sumber Daya Indonesia (DSI) as a state-owned enterprise (SOE) specializing in exports.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia's environment ministry has issued a new approval for a controversial zinc and lead mine in an earthquake-prone region of Sumatra Island, less than a year after a Supreme Court ruling forced it to rescind its earlier approval. Critics of the project have slammed the U-turn, pointing out that nothing has fundamentally changed in that time.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The 908th Kamisan Movement took place during the commemorative moment of the 1998 Reform on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Several participants considered the current government no different from the regime of former President Soeharto who resigned exactly 28 years ago.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia has criticized the directive to shoot suspected street robbers, or locally known begal, on the spot. The order was issued in response to a recent surge in violent robberies.

Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi of Merauke has censured a documentary about development projects in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua for presenting a one-sided narrative that excludes the perspective of the Catholic Church.

A teacher and six students from SMP N 1 Senior Highschool Sinak were reportedly apprehended without warrant and subsequently tortured by military personnel during an operation in Sinak District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province, on 25 March 2026. According to information received, the arrests occurred whilst classes were in progress on the school premises.

Ricky Juliansyah, Jakarta – The University of Indonesia's Student Executive Body (BEM UI) sent a condolence flower wreath to the State Palace, Jakarta, on Thursday, May 21, 2026. The 2026 Coordinator of the Social and Political Affairs Division of BEM UI, Hafidz Haernanda, confirmed that they had sent the flower arrangement.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Indonesia may have large natural gas reserves, but replacing imported liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with compressed natural gas (CNG) for millions of households would require major investment in pipelines, compression facilities, and distribution systems, analysts say.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Indonesian Consulate General in Istanbul, Darianto Harsono, stated that nine Indonesian citizens detained by the Israeli military suffered physical violence.

Lili Yan Ing – Over the past three decades, export under-invoicing, transfer pricing, and commodity misreporting may have cost Indonesia hundreds of billions of dollars in lost state revenue and foreign-exchange earnings. President Prabowo Subianto recently described the practice bluntly as "fraud" – and on that point, he is right, and for once, I agree with him.

Jakarta – Bank Indonesia reported a balance of payments deficit of $9.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026 as rising global financial uncertainty pressured Indonesia's external accounts.

According to Bank Indonesia spokesperson Ramdan Denny Prakoso, deficits persisted in the current account as well as the capital and financial accounts.

Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has long prided itself on buying weapons the same way it conducts diplomacy: from everyone, but never too much from anyone.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia's business chamber Kadin warns that the rupiah's continued slide against the US dollar is squeezing consumers and businesses alike, raising concerns over household spending in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Padang, Indonesia – Nine people were killed on May 14 in Indonesia's West Sumatra province after heavy rain triggered the collapse of a 30-meter (100-foot) cliff at an illegal gold mine.

"Three people survived, while nine others who were buried have been recovered deceased," said Susmelawati Rosya, a spokesperson for the West Sumatra province police.

Bambang Ismoyo, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said President Prabowo Subianto's ambitious 2027 economic growth target of 5.8% to 6.5% remains achievable despite mounting global uncertainty and persistent pressure on the rupiah, as the government bets on stronger private-sector activity to drive expansion.

Bambang Ismoyo, Andrew Tito, Jakarta – Indonesia's electronics trade is coming under growing pressure as the rupiah weakens toward Rp 18,000 per US dollar, driving up prices and sharply slowing sales in one of Jakarta's busiest retail hubs.

Antara, Jakarta – Jakarta's air quality on Thursday morning fell into the unhealthy category, ranking first among cities with the worst air quality in the world. Residents are advised to wear masks when outdoors.

Jakarta – An Instagram [archive] post featuring a poster claims that the director of the documentary "Pesta Babi" (Pig Feast), Cypri Paju Dale, admitted his work was funded by foreign parties. This narrative emerged after authorities disrupted public screenings of the film across several regions.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesia announces remote work extension for civil servants. Government employees will now continue to work from home (WFH) every Friday for at least the next two months.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto cites the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as a backdrop for the policy.

Endang Mulyani, Jakarta – Education stakeholders have welcomed the government's plan to introduce English lessons at an earlier stage of schooling, calling it a positive step toward strengthening Indonesia's global competitiveness.

Piter Lokon, Dekai, Jubi – The Yahukimo Police in Papua Highlands released Kone Kobak, the International Diplomacy Chair of the West Papua National Committee, or KNPB, for the Yahukimo region, on Wednesday (20/5/2026).

On 10 May 2026, security forces allegedly shot dead Mr Nopison Tebai, a 21-year-old high school student, during a joint security operation in Dogimani and Idadagi villages, Dogiyai District, Dogyai Regency, Central Papua Province. The shooting occurred near a football pitch beside the Dogiyai District Office whilst local residents were attending Sunday church service.

Timika – "The recent drone attack on a Catholic church in Intan Jaya has claimed civilian lives and severely traumatized the local population. As Friars Minor of the Justice and Peace Commission, we express our deep concern about the increasing violence against places of worship and unarmed residents.

Twenty-eight years after reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998 – Indonesia is showing increasingly serious signs of democratic decline.

Hearts of Palestine (HOPE), which is made up of several civil society organisations, groups and individuals, strongly condemns the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in intercepting and detaining civilian vessels, kidnapping and holding hostage civilians involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 humanitarian mission in international waters of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Zane Goebel, Sonia Roitman and Udiana Dewi (The Conversation) – Indonesia plans to build a "Giant Sea Wall" more than 500 kilometers long to defend Java's north coast from rising sea levels. The proposal includes a large lagoon behind the colossal concrete wall, raising significant questions about the feasibility and cost of such a massive project.

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid says that the Israeli military's arrest of Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 volunteers violates human rights.

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said on Wednesday that Indonesia has significantly increased judicial salaries, including compensation for the chief justice of the Supreme Court, which he claimed is now higher than that of an equivalent official in Singapore.

President Prabowo Subianto's intent to include the Red-and-White Village Cooperatives in the development of a large-scale solar power plants (PLTS) project could lead to future problems. Aside from the massive capital required, developing solar power projects necessitates sound governance in technical, standardization, and occupational safety aspects.

Brigitta Belia Permata Sari, Jakarta – A Kamisan (Thursday) action coinciding with the 28th anniversary of reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998 – touched on a number of human rights issues, from alleged human rights violations in Papua to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Officers of the Demta Sub-district Police detained 30-yea-old Agustinus Burame in the Demta District, Jayapura Regency, Papua Province, on 4 May 2026. While held in police custody, he was allegedly beaten by three police officers, sustaining serious injuries to his head and body (see photos below, source: independent HRD).

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – The West Papua National Liberation Army Regional Command XVI Yahukimo, or TPNPB Kodap XVI Yahukimo, has claimed responsibility for killing eight people it alleged were security personnel disguised as illegal gold miners in Korowai.

Dian Rahma Fika Alnina, Jakarta – The Secretary General of Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, stated that President Prabowo Subianto genuinely appreciates the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), which is outside the government coalition.

Jakarta (Agencies) – Separatists in eastern Papua region have shot and killed eight gold miners they claimed were undercover members of the security forces, the military said Thursday.

The miners were attacked while working in the far-flung district of Yahukimo, Papua Pegunungan province on Wednesday, military spokesman Lt. Col. Wirya Arthadiguna said in a statement.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Associated Press, Jakarta – Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) plunged more than 3% on Thursday as investors dumped commodity-linked shares after President Prabowo Subianto moved to tighten state control over strategic natural resource exports, overshadowing a broader rally across Asian markets.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia is gaining greater respect on the global stage, claiming that foreign leaders now view the country as an important partner capable of helping others.

Larius Kogoya, Jayapura, Papua – Aliko Walia, an 8-year-old boy who was shot during a military operation in Tenoti Village, Kembru District, Puncak Regency, on 14 April 2026, died at RSUD Mulia in Puncak Jaya Regency on Tuesday (19 May 2026).

Muhammad Ammar Hidayahtulloh & Shelli Israelsen – Since the formal restoration of Timor-Leste's independence on 20 May 2002, the women's movement has evolved beyond the goal of national liberation to the struggle to secure an equal place for women in the new state.

Giovanni Torre – At least two civilians were feared dead and two others injured after an aerial bombing at a Catholic church compound in the Central Papua province, West Papua.

The Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News) reported at least two civilians were believed dead and two others injured after the suspected drone attack on Sunday.

The blocking of screenings of the documentary film Pesta Babi: Kolonialisme di Zaman Kita (Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our Time) shows that the authorities are increasingly allergic to criticism. The Indonesian Military (TNI) does not have the authority to ban the screening of a film, yet alone to forcibly stop it.

Jakarta – Ride-hailing company Grab Indonesia said it will discontinue its "Akses Hemat" subscription program for motorcycle taxi driver-partners, citing the need for better adjustments to support a sustainable ecosystem for all stakeholders.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said the government projects the country's economy to grow between 5.8 percent and 6.5 percent in 2027, supported by economic strategy and fiscal policy measures outlined in the government's macroeconomic framework.

M Ghafur Fadillah, Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Associated Press, Jakarta – Indonesian stocks extended their decline on Wednesday as investors reacted to a mix of domestic pressures, including Bank Indonesia's aggressive rate hike, concerns over tighter state control of commodity exports, and continued weakness in the rupiah, overshadowing broader regional market weakness tied to rising glob

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia will maintain its 2026 state budget macroeconomic assumptions despite the rupiah weakening to around Rp 17,700 per US dollar, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said on Tuesday, arguing the government had already built severe stress scenarios into its fiscal calculations.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Israeli forces have abducted all 9 Indonesians who were aboard the Gaza-bound aid ships as of Wednesday at 7.13 a.m Jakarta time, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia has trimmed the budget for its flagship Free Meal Program (MBG) by an estimated Rp 67 trillion ($3.77 billion) as President Prabowo Subianto pushes for broader government spending efficiency, while insisting the cuts will not weaken the program's reach to millions of students.

Syahrul Yunizar – Amnesty International's latest report has revealed findings related to a coordinated disinformation campaign. The aim of the campaign is to label government critics as foreign agents. The targets range from vocal activists to journalists.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesians should not be overly impressed by countries that achieved prosperity by exploiting the wealth of other nations, referring to the legacy of colonialism during a speech before Parliament on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.