Tenny Kristiana – Indonesia's biofuel program was supposed to be a boon for small farmers. But although the country's biodiesel production has skyrocketed, many farmers complain that the program hasn't benefited them. Farmers are still struggling to become part of the biodiesel supply chain, which is dominated by large palm oil firms.

Chris Barrett, Suai, Timor-Leste – Timorese resistance hero and the country's first president, Xanana Gusmao, has sent a blunt message to Australia: give it a chance to further develop its own gas industry and let the underdeveloped nation flourish.

Jakarta – Indonesia's April trade surplus was seen increasing from the previous month, with imports softening due to less production activities during the holiday of Ramadan, a Reuters poll showed.

The median analysis of 14 economists in the survey showed the trade surplus in April likely increased to $3.38 billion from $2.91 billion in March.

Jayapura, Jubi – On Thursday, May 11, 2023, the Jayapura District Court carried out a follow-up trial for the case of alleged treason involving three students from Jayapura University of Science and Technology (USTJ).

Cindy Layan, Jakarta – The ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, registered Thursday 20,462 legislative candidates at the local and national levels with the General Election Commission (KPU) as it seeks to retain control of the House of Representatives and the presidential palace.

Jayapura, Jubi – Ha-Anim Women's Association (PPHA) chair Febi Koten highlighted eight cases of sexual violence against children that took place in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province between 2021 and 2023. The protection of children and women from sexual violence and abuse is a matter that requires the attention and efforts of all parties.

Amnesty International is calling on Indonesia to release West Papua National Committee spokesperson, Victor Yeimo.

Yeimo was sentenced on Friday to eight months in prison for his involvement in an anti-racism protest in Papua in August 2019.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Indonesian retailers are projected to maintain their sales momentum even after Ramadan and the Idul Fitri holidays, which normally lift consumer spending, came to an end, Bank Indonesia (BI) data show.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has defended the role taken by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in influencing political parties' preference in the 2024 presidential election, saying that past presidents had played the game before.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The World Bank has called on Indonesia to expand its poverty eradication efforts to protect the millions of citizens it says are in danger of falling back into poverty, despite the country's achievements in improving the lot of its people over the past decades.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – National Police investigators have arrested a man and a woman suspected to be behind the trafficking of more than a dozen Indonesians to Myanmar, where the victims were forced to run online scams, as ASEAN nations seek a stronger regional response to human trafficking.

Max Lane – The small but vocal Partai Buruh (PB), a newcomer to Indonesian politics, could disrupt the 2024 elections if its questioning of the status quo succeeds. For now, the odds remain low.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has expressed his frustration over a lack of clarity on United States commitments to provide funds it has pledged to Indonesia to help the country move away from fossil fuels.

Fadli, Jakarta – The Riau Islands has rejected a report by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on a pig farm in the province.

Rika Azmi, head of the provincial Food Security, Agriculture and Animal Health Agency, claimed the WOAH did not have the means to determine outbreaks of animal diseases in Indonesia.

Jakarta – The Forum of Concerned Citizens for Indonesia's Parliament (Formappi) says that the House of Representatives' (DPR) performance during the IV sitting period for 2022-2023 was poor and declined drastically in comparison the previous period.

Tonggo Simangunsong, Jakarta – Uli Artha Panggabean is a weaver of ulos, the traditional woven cloth of the Batak tribe. Her passion for the tradition goes deep.

Jayapura, Jubi – In a bid to protect their land and forests, a group of environmental activists from the Awyu region has filed for intervention at the Jakarta Administrative Court.

London – With the ink now drying on the laws creating the new provinces in West Papua, claimed by Jakarta to have support from Papuans, TAPOL's new report, 'West Papua 2022: Freedom Of Expression And Freedom Of Assembly', shows a picture of increasing incidents, including arrests, dispersals, intimidation and killings for expressing dissent.

Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – The number of medical workers' organizations supportive of the health bill keeps increasing despite a recent major rally opposing the bill.

Bella Evangelista, Jakarta – Chief Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan expressed confidence on Tuesday that Indonesia will soon surpass Vietnam as the biggest footwear manufacturer in Southeast Asia.

His remarks came after sportswear giant New Balance announced a new investment to operate a seventh athletic shoe factory in Indonesia.

Indonesia is still in a COVID-19 health emergency even though the World Health Organization (WHO) has lifted the global status of the disease.

The Ministry of Health said in a press conference yesterday that Indonesia's transition away from COVID-19 emergency status rests on President Joko Widodo.

Antara, Jakarta – Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chairperson Nurul Ghufron on Tuesday lamented the lack of deterrent effect on corruption inmates in the current prison facility and suggested that the agency is considering other alternatives such as the Nusakambangan penitentiary, which among others is also notoriously known to imprison terrorist convicts.

Antara, Jakarta – Former Jakarta governor and candidate of the 2024 Presidential Election Anies Baswedan had recently criticized the government's 2023 program that incentivizes purchases of electric vehicles, which he insisted would only add to the traffic congestion problem.

Rebecca Tan, Dera Menra Sijabat and Joshua Irwandi, Obira Island, Indonesia – On a remote island close to where the Pacific meets the Indian Ocean sits one of the first refineries built specifically to support the world's transition away from fossil fuels.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Timor Leste Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak said at his grand ASEAN Summit debut on Wednesday that his country was on the right track to becoming a full member of the regional grouping.

Nur Janti, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named Stefanus Roy Rening, a lawyer of suspended Papua governor Lukas Enembe, as suspect of obstruction of justice and is detaining him for 20 days.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Head economist of Bank Permata, Josua Pardede, on Tuesday, said wealthy people with savings of over Rp5 billion as of March this year grew 9.63 percent.

However, according to the same study conducted by the Deposit Insurance Cooperation (LPS), the growth of people with savings accounts below Rp100 million only grew 3.6 percent.

Agencies, Jakarta – A high-ranking police officer was given a life sentence on Tuesday for trafficking five kilograms (11 pounds) of methamphetamine that was originally confiscated as criminal evidence.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition has revealed attempts to criminalise residents and attacks on journalists ahead of the 2023 ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Dipo Negoro – The Labour Party (Partai Buruh) organised a three day national working meeting (Rakernas) on January 14-17. The meeting was attended by some 800 Labour Party executive committee representatives from 38 provinces.

Merauke, Jubi – The community and customary landowners in Kaliki Village, Kurik District, Merauke Regency reject various logging and plantation companies from entering their village. The community is worried that company activities will damage the forest.

Timika, Jubi – On Monday, May 8, 2023, Pastor Paniur Tabuni (40) underwent surgery at Mimika Regency Hospital to remove a bullet. He got hit by a round allegedly fired by TNI members in Gingga Baru Village, Sinak District, Puncak Regency.

Chris Barrett, Singapore – An Australian government investigation has found violations of live export trade standards at seven Indonesian abattoirs where Australian producers sent cattle, after assessing shocking footage captured inside slaughterhouses on Java and Sumatra.

Indonesia has sent 30 tons of relief supplies to aid the Vanuatu government's recovery efforts post three major natural disasters earlier this year.

The humanitarian aid were delivered on a My Indo Airline B737-800 cargo aircraft that departed from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and landed at Vanuatu's Bauerfield International Airport on Tuesday.

Yerica Lai, Jakarta – Less than a month after leaving pro-government Gerindra Party, former vice-presidential candidate in 2019, Sandiaga Uno, hinted at his interest in joining the opposition Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) as the latter welcomed the possibility of pairing him with its presidential candidate Anies Baswedan in 2024.

Jakarta – Inflation has been slowing steadily since September last year, investment is holding up well and the latest GDP report beat expectations. No two ways about it, Indonesia is standing strong in a turbulent global economy fraught with risks stemming from indebted banks to geopolitical upheaval.

Agnes Valentina Christa, Jakarta – The government recently told disapproving healthcare professional organizations that the omnibus health bill had already accommodated their aspirations.

On Monday, five professional associations, including the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI), took to the streets to oppose the health bill.

Antara, Jakarta – A total of 150 firefighters and 35 fire trucks were deployed to extinguish the huge blaze burning a paint factory in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, at 14:15 on Monday, May 8, 2023.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia and Vietnam are aiming for a $15 billion annual bilateral trade by 2028, and both nations are feeling confident about meeting this target as long as the trade barriers ease.

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid is urging the Indonesian government to unconditionally release Papuan political activist Victor Yeimo, who was sentenced to eight months in prison on May 5 for to his involvement in anti-racism protest in Papua in August 2019.

Max Lane – The question of electability has turned Indonesian voters' attention towards potential running mates for the putative presidential candidates in the 2024 race.

Indonesia has reported an outbreak of African swine fever on a farm on the Riau Islands near Singapore, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Tuesday.

The outbreak that killed 35,297 pigs in a herd of 285,034 on a farm located on Bulan island was detected on April 1 and confirmed on April 28, the Paris-based WOAH said, citing Indonesian authorities.

Yogyakarta, Jubi – The Constitutional Court has, in fact, revoked in 2007 the article used by the panel of judges of the Jayapura District Court to sentence Viktor Yeimo, the international spokesperson of the West Papua National Committe (KPNB), to 8 months in prison. Viktor Yeimo's lawyer Latifah Anum Siregar revealed this on Saturday, May 6, 2023, a day after the conviction.

Teguh Suprayitno, Jambi, Indonesia – The lunchtime rush is well underway as customers file into a lively Padang-style restaurant here in the city of Jambi on Indonesia's Sumatra Island. A clutch of civil servants chats next to a group of men eating lunch.

A female employee in Bekasi, West Java has reported her male boss to the police after he allegedly required her to sleep with him in exchange for a contract extension.

Police have taken a bus driver in for questioning after his unattended vehicle plunged down a ravine in Guci, Tegal, Central Java on Sunday, killing one on board.

Police in Indonesia's Catholic-majority Flores Island summoned two Catholic villagers and two local activists and accused them of sedition over a planned protest during the upcoming summit of Southeast Asian leaders over the compensation for houses and land clearing for a road.

Anindito Ariwandono, Bandung – Hong Kong's luminous heritage has been facing an imminent crisis for the past couple of years. Its neon-drenched streets have been facing a consistent decay in terms of intensity, where its neon signs (most of which came from the 1960-1970s) are increasingly being taken down due to hazard concerns and adherence to building codes.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – With the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) settling on Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as its presidential candidate, the other parties are readjusting their positions with regard to their own nominations ahead of the 2024 elections.

Brook K. Baker, Boston, Massachusetts, United States – The next round of negotiations on an Indonesia-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is scheduled for today, May 8, in Brussels.