Jakarta – The Jakarta Education Agency plans to increase the registration quota for non-permanent teachers' Individual Work Contracts (KKI) this year, from 1,700 to 2,650.

Thomas Rizal, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has called on the police to launch a criminal investigation into a recent beauty pageant for transgender women held at a Jakarta hotel.

Cholil Nafis, head of MUI's Islamic preaching division, said the organizers and those responsible for Sunday's event must be held accountable under the law.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has established a task force to expedite investment in the new capital city of Nusantara or IKN project. Presidential Decree (Keppres) No. 25 of 2024, signed on August 5, 2024, officially formed the IKN Investment Acceleration Task Force.

Yustinus Patris Paat, Jakarta – National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar on Tuesday questioned the relevance of the coalition of political parties that supported Prabowo Subianto's presidential bid in the upcoming gubernatorial elections.

Ahmad Rizky M Umar – In an unprecedented move that has angered climate activists, Indonesia's biggest Islamic organisations, Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), have accepted offers of mining concessions from the Joko "Jokowi" Widodo government.

Benjamin Plummer and Kurt Bayer – The Government is asking how a New Zealand helicopter pilot came to be murdered by separatist rebels in Papua while saying it is still working on the "safe release" of another Kiwi chopper pilot held captive for nearly 18 months.

Whisnu Bagus Prasetyo, Kendal – Chief Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan delivered a deeply sentimental farewell to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo as his term approaches its end on Oct. 20.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has condemned the reported killing of New Zealand helicopter pilot Glen Malcolm Conning in Alama, Mimika Regency

"If true, I condemn this killing in the strongest possible terms," said President Wenda. "We mourn Conning's death and do not want any more bloodshed on West Papuan land."

Jakarta – The Presidential Office has repudiated reports that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has been seeking to interfere with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) new central board line-up.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has begun operations to send emergency food supplies to a stockpile in Central Papua amid concerns of a hunger crisis caused by cold weather in the highlands of the province.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – To prove his commitment to the development of Nusantara Capital City, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo insisted on working there, despite the ongoing construction and less than ready state for habitation. Regardless of the questions about the motive behind the decision.

Jakarta – The recent acquittal of Gregorius Ronald Tannur, son of former House of Representatives lawmaker Edward Tannur, on murder charges shows that miscarriages of justice are still a constant threat to the rule of law in our nation.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – Businesses have called the government to rethink a plan to introduce a cap and impose a tax on certain ingredients used in processed foods, fearing the measures will be burdensome for the food industry, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Yohana Belinda, Jakarta – The head of the Bali Tourism Office has rejected an idea to build an international-standard casino in the island province, put forward by a local business group.

Bali tourism head Tjokorda Bagus Pemayun has nipped the idea in the bud saying that a casino ran counter to Balinese culture that formed the basis of the province's tourism industry.

JAKARTA – Personnel of the joint police-military Operation Cartenz Peace task force were hunting armed rebels on Tuesday who reportedly shot dead a New Zealand helicopter pilot in Central Papua, as authorities retrieved the body of the pilot.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said next year's state budget must cater to all programs planned by president-elect Prabowo Subianto in view of global economic risks, while opening a meeting on Monday to discuss the 2025 government working plan (RKP) and draft state budget.

Ifan Ahmad, Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – Indonesia's workforce is feeling the strain of the global economic slowdown, with a significant rise in job losses. The Manpower Ministry reports that 32,064 workers were laid off between January and June 2024, marking a 21.4 percent increase from 26,400 layoffs in the same period last year.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Jakarta and the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) have urged the police to thoroughly investigate the alleged act of intimidation against Tempo journalist Hussein Abri Dongoran. Hussein's car was vandalized on August 5, 2024, as he was returning home from a meeting in Central Jakarta.

Teguh Suprayitno, Muaro Jambi, Indonesia – Mbok Hawo picked a clutch of galangal, lemongrass and turmeric as the gaggle of schoolkids assembled by an array of potted plants, arranged in Hawo's garden like bottles in a medicine cabinet.

"Turmeric isn't only for flavoring cooking," the 64-year-old healer explained to the children. "It can also be a medicine for the stomach."

Jakarta – Indonesia's population reached 282.48 million in the first half of this year, an increase of 1.75 million from 280.73 million in the second half of 2023, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Hengky Yeimo, Nabire – In a press release on Wednesday August 7, West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) national spokesperson Sebby Sambom said that three days after the fatal shooting of New Zealand helicopter pilot Glen Malcom Conning on Monday August 5, there has still been no confirmation reported to the TPNPB-OPM National Command by the TPNPB op

Josa Lukman, Jakarta – The Embassy of India in Jakarta formally relaunched the Indian Chamber of Commerce (IndCham) in Indonesia in a formal ceremony on Aug. 2 that was attended by over 150 members of Indian and Indonesian companies, diaspora businesses and professionals from start-ups, banks and global MNCs.

On 17 July 2024, officers from the Nabire Resort Police Unit detained Mr Zakeyos Dendegau, 26, at Karang Tumaritis Market in the Nabire Regency, Papua Tangah Province.

Thomas Rizal, Jakarta – The chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council's (MUI) division for proselytising and fraternal affairs, KH M Cholil Nafis, believes that the contestants who took part in a transgender beauty contest at a hotel in the Sawah Besar area of Central Jakarta on Sunday August 4 must be treated and cured.

Tria Sutrisna, Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – The families of activists abducted in 1997-98 have insisted that a meeting with senior officials from president elect Prabowo Subianto's Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) on Sunday April 4 was not to strengthen friendship ties nor to syntonise a vision for Indonesia's future.

Rama Sukarta, Tangerang – Indonesia is working to reduce its reliance on imported pharmaceutical raw materials (BBO), which currently make up 90 percent of the country's needs, primarily from China and India.

Jakarta – Separatist rebels in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua on Monday killed a helicopter pilot from New Zealand after he landed his aircraft in a remote area, authorities said, adding four other passengers on board were safe.

Jakarta – A group of consumers filed a lawsuit against Communications and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi with the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) for his perceived failure to protect the temporary national data center (PDN) facility from a cyberattack in June.

Jakarta (Agencies) – The body of a New Zealand helicopter pilot shot dead by rebels in Papua has been retrieved, the joint task force of police and soldiers leading the search said Tuesday.

Glen Malcolm Conning, 50, a pilot for PT Intan Angkasa Air Service, was killed Monday after landing in Papua with two Indonesian health workers and two children, all of whom survived.

Jakarta – Chairman of the youth-oriented Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Kaesang Pangarep, the 29-year-old son of outgoing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, said on Monday that he could go toe-to-toe in the Jakarta gubernatorial election with stronger candidates like Anies Baswedan and Ridwan Kamil.

Jakarta – Who is taking care of the elderly? Under the prevailing Indonesian cultural concept of extended family, it is a no brainer that their children and grandchildren are. But now, with modernization, and the trend toward smaller and two-income families, there is no longer a guarantee the elderly can count on the support of their offspring in their twilight years.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – The government is looking to partner with Chinese state-owned oil and gas company Sinopec to set up enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects in several depleting oil fields in the country.

Radhiyya Indra, Jakarta – In preparation for the country's simultaneous regional elections in November, political parties have been forming large alliances and jointly nominating candidates, putting popular hopefuls on shaky ground and leaving little room for competition.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin denied Tuesday that taxes were what had caused drug prices to soar, and blamed the expensive medicines on the huge costs needed to promote the products.

Drugs sold in Indonesia can be five times more expensive than those in other Southeast Asian countries.

Zhulfakar, Jakarta – Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin clarified that the provision of contraceptives for school-aged children and adolescents aims to reduce maternal mortality rates among teenagers, rather than promoting premarital sex.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – Jakarta police have addressed the controversy surrounding a transgender beauty pageant held recently at a hotel in Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta, after it garnered significant attention on social media.

Monique Handa Shafira, Jakarta – The Transportation Ministry is set to trial a new urban transport system called the Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) in the future national capital, Nusantara, East Kalimantan, on Saturday, an official said on Tuesday.

Despite its name, the ART doesn't require rails to operate.

Antara, Jakarta – The Health Ministry clarified that the provision of contraceptives for adolescents, as stated in a new government regulation, only applies to those who are married and is not intended to promote premarital sex.

Antara, Jakarta – The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has revoked the business licenses of 14 banks in Indonesia since early 2024 due to financial collapse.

"In 2014, 14 banks in Indonesia collapsed and had their business licenses revoked. These banks were rural banks (BPR)," said Dian Ediana Rae, OJK's Executive Head of Banking Supervision, on Monday.

Aceh – The Aceh Ulama Consultative Assembly (MPU) has rejected Government Regulation (PP) Number 28/2024 on Health, one of the points being that it regulates the provision of contraception for school-aged children.

Responding to the reported death of New Zealand pilot Glen Malcolm Conning, who was allegedly killed in Alama District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, Usman Hamid, said:

Zul Akhyar, Banda Aceh – The Ulama Consultative Assembly (MPU) in Indonesia's northern-most province of Aceh has strongly condemned the Miss Beauty Star Indonesia 2024 transgender beauty contest that was held at the Orchardz Industri Hotel Grand Ballroom in Central Jakarta on August 4.

Manokwari, West Papua – Public organisation Papua Peace Network (JDP) condemned the armed criminal group that killed New Zealander pilot Glen Malcolm Conning in Mimika District, Central Papua, on Monday (August 5) morning.

Alfian Kartono and Niniek Karmini, Jayapura, Indonesia – Gunmen stormed a helicopter and killed its New Zealand pilot shortly after it landed in Indonesia's restive Papua region on Monday, and they released two health workers and two children it was carrying, police said.

Maria Gabrielle Putrinda, Jakarta – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri has publicly dismissed speculation about a strained relationship with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. Speaking during a ceremony in North Jakarta on Monday, Megawati insisted that her relationship with the president remains positive and without issues.

Aninda Dewayanti, Muhammad Fajar – Environmental activism remains a cottage industry for the youth who champion Earth's cause in Indonesia. Besides financial pull, they will need organisational evolution before any significant green movement can break the cosy ties between state and dirty business.

Amy Chew – Indonesia's President-elect Prabowo Subianto will face a challenging economic landscape when he takes office in October, marked by slowing growth and heightened geopolitical uncertainties.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The rivalry between National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Muhaimin Iskandar and the ruling Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) brothers Yahya Cholil Staquf and Yaqut Cholil Qoumas has taken a new turn as they use the organizations to undermine each other.

Jakarta – The clock is ticking for Indonesia and the European Union to conclude their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) if both parties wish to finalize it before President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo leaves office on Oct. 20.

Makassar – Dozens of students were arrested after holding a demonstration in front of the Alauddin Makassar Islamic State University (UIN) campus in South Sulawesi (Sulsel). They were demanding the annulment of a policy which they consider restricts student activities.