Jakarta – Mother's Day, which is commemorated on December 22 each year, has different meanings. There are some who see it as a form of respect for the contribution by mothers and wives who struggle to take care of the family.

Jakarta – Coinciding with Mother's Day which falls on December 22 each year, hundreds of women marched to the State Palace in Central Jakarta to articulate demands related to women's issues saying that government policies are still discriminative and do not support women. The action took up the theme Women Heal the Nation.

Jakarta – Three farmers were arrested by police after holding a protest action opposing an oil refinery which coincided with a visit by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to the construction site of the PT Trans Pacific Petrochemical Indotama (TPPI) refinery in Jenu, Tuban, East Java, on Saturday December 21.

Leon Kastayudha – Indonesia celebrates National Mother's Day on December 22nd. As in other countries, Mother's Day is a mainstream commemoration filled with gestures of appreciation to mothers, flowers, and or other commercial gifts.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – North Sumatra Governor Edy Rahmayadi said the government had allocated Rp 5 billion (US$357,938) to bury thousands of pigs that had died of African swine fever (ASF) and contain the spread of the virus.

Dian Septiari and Apriza Pinandita, Jakarta – Russia has expressed frustration over the "unfair" competition it faces in the arms trade with Indonesia, which, like other countries, is under the threat of United States sanctions.

Ganug Nugroho Adi, Surakarta – Hundreds of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) supporters rallied on Thursday in Surakarta, Central Java, to support the nomination of Deputy Mayor Achmad Purnomo for the upcoming mayoral election and reject a bid made by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's son.

Jakarta – Even a donkey would not fall into the same hole twice. The saying it would seem does not apply to the government when dealing with forest recovery. The bad track record of forest restoration has ascertained the policy is repeating the dismal failure of the New Order regime in rehabilitation programs.

Hendartyo Hanggi, Jakarta – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati mentioned a number of factors that caused an increase in imported goods. One of the factors is digital economy.

"With digital economy, it enables goods from outside the country to enter Indonesia easily, swiftly," Sri said on Friday, December 20, 2019.

Jakarta – The director of the Andalas University Law Faculty Constitutional Studies Centre (PUSaKO), Feri Amsari, says that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is trying to cover up the systematic defects of the revised Corruption Eradication Commission Law (UU KPK) by choosing KPK supervisory council (dewas) members who have good backgrounds.

Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) held a theatrical action rejecting the new leadership of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for the period 2019-2023 who will be inaugurated by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Friday December 20.

The theatrical action involved two dukun (shaman) who were in the process of expelling the evil spirits.

Ben Bohane – For decades, Papua New Guinean troops say they have watched as Indonesian forces violated PNG sovereignty "up to a dozen times per year".

At times the TNI (Indonesian armed forces) crossed the border between Indonesian Papua and PNG to hunt animals. Sometimes they entered to intimidate refugees living along the border.

Jakarta – Five Papuan pro-independence students and a rights activist went on trial Thursday on charges of treason after waving morning star flags that are a separatist symbol during a peaceful protest in front of Indonesia's presidential palace.

Karuni Rompies, Jakarta – Officials in the Jakarta provincial government are holding Christmas carols on the streets of the Indonesian capital for the first time to "spread joy" and convince residents it caters for people of all faiths.

Apriza Pinandita, Jakarta – Indonesia has urged members of the United Nations Security Council to take more concrete action in implementing a resolution on illegal Israeli settlements or risk undermining its own authority, the country's ambassador to the UN said this week.

Vela Andapita, Jakarta – A new Portuguese-language Netflix comedy "The First Temptation of Christ" has made world headlines after sparking controversy and anger for depicting Jesus Christ as a gay man.

Diana Mariska, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has agreed to provide Rp 7.5 billion ($536,000) in grant to help the repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

Diana Mariska, Jakarta – A workshop was held in Jakarta this week to find a way to ease tension and solve conflicts between Muslim and Buddhist communities in South and Southeast Asia, attended by experts and Muslims and Buddhists from five countries in the regions.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Argo Yuwono said that the Police will announce findings related to the attack against senior investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Novel Baswedan at the end of this year.

Imam Hamdi, Jakarta – The recent annulment of the tourism award Adikarya Wisata 2019 of Jakarta's Colosseum Club 101 did little to no effect on the nightclub's attendance. At least this was the case on Wednesday night and Thursday dawn of December 18-19 when Tempo visited the place.

Yovanda, Samarinda, Indonesia – Two abandoned open-pit coal mines, each of which has claimed the life of a child in Indonesia's Eastern Kalimantan province, have been earmarked for restoration efforts led by the government amid a major plan to relocate the country's capital to the region.

Ian Morse, Jakarta, Indonesia – When the nickel smelters started showing up nearly seven years ago, residents with respiratory infections began appearing at Hastin's local health clinic in Morowali on Indonesia's Sulawesi island at several times the rate they had done before.

Karina M. Tehusijarana, Jakarta – Women activists from several civil society organizations working in different fields plan to take to the streets on Sunday to reclaim Mothers' Day through a demonstration called Perempuan Meruwat Negeri (Women Heal the Nation).

Rizal Harahap, Pekanbaru, Riau – The Riau administration declared a state of emergency on Friday after water inundated hundreds of villages in six of the province's regencies, affecting more than 62,000 residents in the latest among recent disasters that have killed at least six people.

Jakarta – The congregation of Santa Clara church in North Bekasi, West Java, will finally be able to celebrate Christmas this year at their own church building – the first time after around two decades of holding Christmas Mass without a church.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated on Friday five members of the newly established Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) supervisory council, as he expressed the hope that the members' wealth of experience and expertise would serve them well in their new positions.

Jakarta – The first-ever oversight body of the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, was inaugurated on Friday, with two veteran judges known for their courtroom firmness and courage named members along with legal experts and a former KPK chairman.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – The new five-member leadership board of the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, officially entered service on Friday, led by police officer Comr. Gen. Firli Bahuri, who returned to the commission after abruptly leaving his previous law enforcement deputy post after an alleged ethical violation.

Antara, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I member, Sukamta, officially requests the central government to eradicate armed groups in Papua following a shootout that broke between armed forces (TNI) army with a Papuan armed group on Tuesday, December 17.

Jakarta – Indonesia's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a Polish tourist who was convicted of treason after meeting with Papuan independence supporters and instead increased his prison term, a lawyer says.

Jakub Skrzypski was arrested in August last year in Wamena in easternmost Papua province and was accused of plotting against the Indonesian state.

That was evident from a report suggesting that the President had collected several names to serve in the KPK's supervisory board.

Aichi Halik, Fana Suparman, Jakarta – The Attorney General Office is opening an inquiry into a possible corruption case at Asuransi Jiwasraya that has led Indonesia's largest state-controlled insurance company into the brink of bankruptcy.

Benny Mawel, Jayapura – Two military officers and a policeman have been killed during recent clashes in Papua, sparking fear among residents of the predominantly Christian region with the conflicts breaking out just one week prior to Christmas day.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – With global warming disrupting the earth's ecosystem and the world warming more quickly than expected, stakeholders are upping their game to campaign for the adoption of renewable energy to replace dirty power.

Jakarta – Local authorities in Bali have collected an estimated 18 tons of garbage, consisting mostly of plastic waste and tree branches washed ashore, during a three-day coastal cleanup effort at the famous Kuta Beach in Badung regency.

Erwin Renaldi and Tasha Wibawa – The West Papuan Morning Star flag has been a point of contention across Indonesia for decades. For many West Papuans, it represents freedoms that have been taken away.

Despite protests by hardline groups, Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP), one of the largest EDM music festivals in Asia, went ahead smoothly last weekend – so smooth that condoms and alcohol were found at the venue, according to one hardline group who were evidently displeased by the discovery.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) held the nation's benchmark interest rate steady at 5 percent on Thursday after cutting the policy rate by a total of 100 basis points (bps) in the second half of this year to fuel economic expansion. Loan growth dropped to 6.53 percent in October, further signaling weak economic expansion.

Eko Wahyudi, Jakarta – University of Indonesia's senior economist Faisal Basri reminded President Jokowi to avert from being overconfident in passing the Omnibus Law despite 74 percent backing from House legislators, including opposition's Gerindra Party.

Dian Septiari, Jakarta – At the start of the week, two native Papuans entered a courtroom in Jakarta shirtless but adorned in their traditional attire, complete with feathered headdress and war paint. The word "monkey" was boldly strewn across their bare chests as they silently waited for their trial to begin.

Jakarta – An Indonesian prosecutor charged five men and a woman with treason on Thursday, accusing them of organizing a protest in Jakarta demanding independence for the easternmost province of Papua.

The peaceful protest of about 100 people had been held outside the presidential palace and military headquarters on Aug. 28 and followed a period of unrest in Papua.

Jakarta – Surya Anta and five other Papua activists heard the formal charges against them during the first hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday December 19. Following their arraignment, Anta and the other defendants presented emotional speeches to the court.

Jakarta – The public prosecutor charged six Papua activists, Surya Anta, Charles Kossay, Dano Tabuni, Isay Wenda, Ambrosius Mulait and Arina Elopere with makar and criminal conspiracy during their formal arraignment at the first hearing at Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday December 19.

Jakarta – Former United Development Party (PPP) chairman Muhammad Romahurmuziy admitted that he had received Rp 250 million (US$17,895) from a bribery convict in connection with a promotion-rigging scandal at the Religious Affairs Ministry.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – Members of militant group Jemaah Ansharut Daulah have tried to go into hiding in Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua, police said on Thursday following the arrests of eight suspected militants there.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The government has a responsibility to advance public healthcare, enlighten national life and create social justice.

But in reality, over the last few years provincial governments (Pemprov) have largely spend their budges on the needs of state civil servants (PNS) rather that social assistance for the public.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – The People's Conscience Party, or Hanura, who was left without a House of Representatives seat after April's election, was dealt another blow on Wednesday as founder Wiranto accused current chairman Oesman Sapta Odang of breaching the party line and urged him to give up his leadership.

Eisya A. Eloksari, Jakarta – The government wants the discussions in the legislature over the drafts of the first two omnibus bills to start by mid-January so they can be passed into law by April.

Jakarta – An Indonesian businessman and three Indonesia-based companies have been charged by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia with violating US sanctions against Iran by exporting US-origin goods to the Tehran-based Mahan airline.

Jakarta – Indonesian authorities revealed on Tuesday attempts to smuggle 19 luxury cars and 35 foreign motorcycles into the country through the Tanjung Priok Port, involving at least seven companies over the last four years.