Dili – A six-party coalition in East Timor has chosen independence hero Xanana Gusmao to lead the next government, pending approval from the country's president.

Tassia Sipahutar and Fathiya Dahrul – Indonesia is reintroducing a raft of market measures deployed during the global financial crisis as authorities warn the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak on the markets and the economy will be more damaging.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua is calling for mining company Freeport to stop operating in Papua until local conflict ceases.

Violent clashes have broken out between Indonesian security forces and the West Papua National Liberation Army near the Freeport gold and copper mine.

Aisha R. Kusumasomantri, Depok – Until today, the government's approach in Papua stresses security, even though gradual attempts at comprehensive counterinsurgency started alongside the 1998 democratic reforms. The importance of "population support" has been considered one of the decisive factors for the government's claim of having the upper hand in Papua so far.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian urged the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police to fortify security in Papua following shootings by an armed criminal group in Tembagapura, Papua.

Jakarta – Despite supporting President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in the 2014 and 2019 presidential elections, the Indonesian Confederation of Prosperity Labour Unions (KSBSI) opposes the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

KSBSI President Elly Rosita Silaban says that the draft law will harm workers and that the KSBSI has decided to take to the streets to reject it.

Friski Riana, Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said the government was seeking solutions to a variety of problems occurring in Papua. One of the efforts done was by applying a welfare-based approach.

Taufiq Siddiq, Galuh Kurnia Ramadhani (Intern Translator), Jakarta – Central Jakarta Police Station deployed hundreds of personnel, two water canon cars and a barracuda vehicle to guard rallies held by labors to reject the Omnibus Law bill today. The labors plan to hold rallies in front of the Jakarta Regional Legislative Council and the City Hall.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD has scolded non-government organisations (NGOs) who frequently cite the TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) for creating problems and committing human rights (HAM) violations in conflict prone areas.

Surabaya – An action by thousands of workers and students from the East Java Movement Alliance Against the Omnibus Law (Getol) has urged President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to immediately cancel the deliberations on the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation. They also threatened that they will hold even larger protests if he does not.

Dinda Wulandari, Palembang – Thousands of workers from a number of different trade unions in South Sumatra held a protest action opposing the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

Pebriansyah Ariefana – Thousands of protesters opposing the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation who arrived from the south-west and east of Sidoarjo have begun to pack into the streets around the Waru Airport in the East Java (Jatim) provincial capital of Surabaya.

Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – A 53-year-old foreign woman holidaying in Bali became Indonesia's first COVID-19 fatality on Wednesday, but local authorities were only informed after her death that she had tested positive for the disease.

Rizki Fachriansyah and Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – Within the first few weeks of the initial COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei province, China in January, the Indonesian government took several measures to prevent its citizens from coming into direct contact with individuals from the outbreak epicenter and other regions with confirmed cases.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – The Indonesian capital has decided to postpone its controversial electric car race, the Jakarta Formula E scheduled to take place on June 6, to avoid worsening the Covid-19 outbreak, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said on Wednesday.

Ryana Aryadita Umasugi, Jakarta – Thousands of workers and employees from trade unions affiliated with the Jakarta Labour Movement (GBJ) held a protest action at the city hall in Central Jakarta on the afternoon of Wednesday March 11.

Yulia Savitri, Palembang – Edi Susanto of Muara Medak, South Sumatra, can now cultivate a plot of land in the village forest without being afraid of being chased by officers. Every day he works there where he plants areca nut, jelutung (Dyera costulata), pineapple and crops.

Jakarta – State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina has cleaned several beaches in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, of what appears to be traces of an oil spill.

Pertamina deployed its Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) team on Sunday to clean up oil floating on the water and inspect the company's facilities, according to its spokesman Roberth Marchelino Verieza.

Jakarta – The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) has issued a new regulation that allows stocks, at all price ranges, to fall by a maximum of 10 percent in an effort to anchor the Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) after a deep drop on Monday.

Arya Dipa, Bandung – A number of referral hospitals for COVID-19 in West Java have complained of a lack of protective gear for medical personnel who handle patients suspected of having been infected by the virus.

Jakarta – The government's repeated warnings often go unheeded as irrationality prevails amidst the growing panic over news of the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Indonesia in the past week.

Djemi Amnifu, Kupang – A four-meter-tall wall has blocked an access road leading to Petra private Christian elementary school in Alak district, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), forcing students to climb over it on their way to the school.

Jakarta – Six Indonesians have been arrested for allegedly spreading misinformation online about the deadly coronavirus, police said Tuesday, as the Southeast Asian nation's confirmed infection cases jumped.

Hengky Ola Sura, Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara – Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto has thanked local health workers for their efforts to tackle a dengue fever outbreak in East Nusa Tenggara's Sikka regency despite the death of 13 patients to the mosquito-borne viral disease.

Rizki Fachriansyah, Jakarta – While many enjoyed a relatively peaceful and high-spirited International Women's Day (IWD) rally in Jakarta on Sunday, some female protesters had the unfortunate experience of becoming the subject of harassment allegedly perpetrated by male protesters affiliated with labor groups during the event.

Jakarta – Indonesia reported the first possible community transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in the country on Tuesday, after a citizen with no link to certain confirmed cases or travel history to affected countries tested positive for the virus.

As the world faces the coronavirus crisis, my people face a renewed humanitarian crisis in West Papua. From Puncak Jaya to Intan Jaya, Nduga to Timika, over 45,000 have been displaced by Indonesian military operations since December 2018.

Jakarta – The North Sulawesi Police have arrested five students who were allegedly involved in the sexual assault of a female schoolmate at a vocational high school in the province's Bolaang Mongondow regency.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – Indonesia is preparing measures similar to those made during the 2008 global financial crisis, including buying back government bonds and halting income tax, to restore confidence in the financial markets and soften the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Fana Suparman, Jakarta – The Supreme Court has acquitted Karen Agustiawan, the former president director of state-run oil company Pertamina, of graft charges by overturning an earlier district court verdict that saw her guilty of corruption and sentenced her to eight years' imprisonment.

Jakarta – Dutch King Willem-Alexander apologized on Tuesday for the "excessive violence" inflicted on Indonesia during his country's colonial rule, the monarchy's first such admission of regret to the Southeast Asian nation.

In an historic address to Australian parliament last month, Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo called for both countries to take stronger action on climate change, including by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in renewable energy.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Security, Politics and Legal Affairs Mahfud MD says that opposition to and negative views about the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation are because they have been "politically cooked up" (gorengan politik).

Tara Marchelin, Jakarta – The Finance Ministry has issued a fiscal stimulus to boost economic activities in Indonesia, which have slowed down considerably recently as a result of the developing Covid-19 outbreak. The stimulus will include more infrastructure development, according to Deputy Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara.

Nur Yasmin, Jakarta – Several major events in Jakarta have been either canceled, postponed or allowed to go through as long as extra precautions are taken by organizers as the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the country spreads fear of a widespread outbreak.

Dili – The new coalition consisting of six political parties wants CNRT-leader Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao to become the new prime minister of Timor-Leste. The coalition submitted a letter to the republic's president, Francisco Guterres Lu Olo, requesting him to appoint Xanana as prime minister of a new government, which will be the ninth since independence.

A six-party coalition in East Timor is ready to form a government led by independence hero Xanana Gusmao, it has told President Francisco Guterres in a letter, the coalition's spokesman said on Tuesday.

Yulia Savitri, Palembang – Village head Heriyan of Serjiabo, South Sumatra, has a lot on his plate when it comes to administering and managing the village funds.

Dili – A six-party coalition in Timor-Leste is ready to form a government led by independence hero Xanana Gusmao, it told President Francisco Guterres in a letter, according to the coalition's spokesman.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – The Indonesian government announced on Tuesday eight more novel coronavirus cases have been confirmed, bringing the total number to 27 of mostly domestic transmission cases.

Jakarta – After nearly two centuries, a golden kris belonging to Indonesia's national hero Prince Diponegoro was returned by the Dutch King Willem-Alexander, here on a three-day state visit with Queen Maxima and a 130-strong delegation, to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the Bogor Palace on Tuesday.

Yogyakarta – Hundreds of students from campuses in Yogyakarta and Magelang, Central Java, held a long march on Monday March 9 to Jl Gejayan just north of Yogyakarta city to hold a Gejayan Calling (#GejayanMemanggil) action against the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

Yuliana Lantipo, Sorong – The rain seems not to interrupt a group of young people in Sorong City, Papua Barat, to raise banners and posters in solidarity for Nduga's people on Friday afternoon (7/3/2020). This Friday's candlelight solidarity event has conducted two months ago, started in January 2020.

Abeth You, Nabire – The panel of judges of the Nabire District Court read the verdict to three defendants of Deiyai's anti-racism case.

A soccer pundit in Indonesia has apologized for uttering highly offensive and sexist remarks while commentating a game on live TV amid public outcry across the country.

Jakarta – Indonesia state oil and gas company PT Pertamina plans to import more crude oil as global price tumble, Ego Syahrial, acting director of oil and gas, told reporters on Monday.

Oil prices plummeted around 30% on Monday after Saudi Arabia started a price war, even as the spread of the coronavirus erodes global demand growth.

Ayat S. Karokaro, Medan, Indonesia – Activists have deplored the recent jailing of two indigenous community members in Sumatra in a land conflict involving an affiliate of pulp and paper giant Royal Golden Eagle.

Emma Connors, Jakarta – Indonesian scientists have doubts about the accuracy of the country's COVID-19 testing and have called on the government to work with others to speed up and improve diagnosis.

Mila Novita, Jakarta – Many people have publically voiced out their support for the annual International Women's Day on March 8. Here in Indonesia, many continue to campaign their fight against issues women face on a daily basis from financial gaps up to sexual harassment.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – Low oil prices may be a double-edged sword for Indonesia after Saudi Arabia started a price war with Russia by slashing its selling prices and pledging to boost supply amid falling demand due to the coronavirus outbreak.