Zacharias Wuragil (Reuters/Nature), Jakarta – Indonesia is set to produce a COVID-19 vaccine using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, which is similar to Pfizer and Moderna in the United States. The technology was brought from China as it was developed by Suzhou Abogen Biosciences Co.

Hendartyo Hanggi, Jakarta (Bisnis) – Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government pocketed Rp48 billion in tax on cryptocurrency transactions. The figure was obtained from both income tax (PPh) and value-added tax (VAT).

Muhammad Zulfikar, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) is recommending to the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) that they revise the Draft Law on the Second Revision to Law Number 11/2008 on Information and Electronic Transaction (ITE).

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid in a written statement on Thursday responded to a statement made by Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria and the city's social service office that made a comment against the LGBTIQ community that was reportedly seen in the urban fashion event dubbed the 'Citayam fashion week'.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The country's top Muslim leaders have convened to raise awareness about the impacts of the climate crisis and to mobilize support from the country's millions of Muslims.

Tramaditya Salim, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has urged the government to revisit the Kudatuli massacre and bring the perpetrators to justice, even as the victims warned against politicization ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Dio Suhenda, Tangerang, Banten – The first Data and Computational Journalism Conference Indonesia (DCJ-CI) kicked off in Tangerang, Banten, on Wednesday, with experts and practitioners highlighting the need for a more data-driven approach to journalism.

Oliver Boden – Australian Labor governments have tended to want friendlier relations with their Asian neighbors. With a little luck and a lot of enthusiasm, now may be the time for the Indonesian language to make a comeback in Australian schools.

Dion Bisara, Jakarta – China has unveiled a commitment to increase its crude palm oil import from Indonesia by 1 million metric tons, or about a fifth of its annual imports, in a move that should help pare down the Southeast Asian producer's surplus inventories and prop up the commodity prices among local farmers.

Stefani Wijaya & Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The body of Brigadier Nopryansyah Yosua Hutabarat was exhumed from a cemetery in Muarojambi in the province of Jambi, Sumatra Island, on Wednesday morning for examination to find the cause of his death.

Sebastian Strangio – Papua, the easternmost region of Indonesia, displays a number of "early warning signs" of mass atrocities, linked to the unresolved grievances of Indigenous Papuans and the worsening conflict between pro-independence insurgents and the Indonesian state, claims a group working to prevent future genocides.

Agil Trisetiawan, Solo – The mayor of the Central Java city of Solo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, says that he does not have a problem if the Citayam Fashion Week is adopted in Solo city.

Iqbal Muhtarom, Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Labor Unions (KSPI) urged Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to file an appeal against the Jakarta Administrative Court's (PTUN) verdict that revoked the increase in the provincial minimum wage by 5.1 percent to Rp 4.64 million by this week at the latest.

Martha Warta Silaban, Jakarta – University of Indonesia's Economy and Business Faculty Dean Teguh Dartanto in an event on Wednesday stated that Indonesian workers in the informal sector reached 59.97 percent up until February this year. He believes that such a situation poses complications.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Palm oil prices will weaken further in the short term due to softer demand and "distress selling" by top producer Indonesia, commodities consultancy LMC International forecast on Tuesday.

Agencies, Tokyo, Japan – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday he and President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had agreed during talks to cooperate in a variety of fields, including energy and maritime security.

Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) is calling on Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan to appeal a State Administrative Court ruling annulling the city administration's decision to increase the minimum wage by 5.1 percent.

Bangkok – Authorities in East Timor should drop their investigation into journalist Raimundos Oki and stop using legal threats to curb independent reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

Jayapura, Jubi – Activists of the Papuan People's Petition (PRP) on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, distributed leaflets inviting people to join the protests on July 29 against Papua expansion and special autonomy.

The Indonesian government will begin blocking private electronic systems operators that fail to register their platforms by July 27, despite concerns from members of civil society that the policy restricts press freedom.

Makassar – The South Sulawesi branch of Indonesia's peak Islamic body the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) believes that the Makassar Fashion Week phenomena has the potential to damage the younger generation's morals because the clothing worn is not in accordance with Islamic law (syariat Islam).

Bernadette Christina, Jakarta – Indonesia on Wednesday launched road tests for two types of biodiesel containing 40% palm oil, hoping to conclude by the end of the year whether they are viable for public use, the energy ministry said.

The government currently mandates that all diesel sold in the country must contain 30% palm oil – the highest compulsory blend in the world.

Wamena, Jubi – As the law on the formation of new Papua provinces was passed, one of which was the establishment of the Mountainous Papua Province with its capital in Wamena, the Huwula Indigenous Care Team asked the local government to make regulations on customary land.

Agatha Victoria, Uyu Liman, Jakarta – Seven national strategic projects (PSNs) worth Rp138.1 trillion (US$9.16 billion) were completed in the first six months of this year.

Chris Barrett and Karuni Rompies, Singapore/Jakarta – It's a police drama with more twists and turns than a Hollywood spy thriller and a cast of characters to fit the bill.

West Java Vice Governor Uu Ruzhanul Ulum had to issue a public apology after he inappropriately downplayed the severity of a disturbing child bullying case in his province. An 11-year-old boy died in that case.

Nine people were killed, police said, when a train smashed into an amusement ride for kids at a gate-less railway crossing this morning in Serang, Banten.

An odong-odong, which is a colorful open-top minibus modified to seat around a dozen small children and is commonly found on the road in low-income areas, was carrying 20 passengers when tragedy struck.

Jayapura, Jubi TV – Impunity Monitoring head of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) Tioria Pretty said an Ad Hoc Human Rights Court for the Bloody Paniai case should be established at the Jayapura District Court. Tioria said she was surprised that the Attorney General's Office (AGO) delegated the case file to the Makassar District Court.

Merauke, Jubi – In the last two decades, or during 2001-2021, 925,000 hectares of forest area in Merauke Regency have been lost, while 2,652,335 have been converted "for development and growth" during the same period.

Len Garae – West Papua leaders are now ready to take over the affairs of their country, with 12 members of Cabinet with (Interim) Prime Minister Edison Warome.

That is the confirmation of the Interim President of West Papua, Mr. Benny Wenda, on his latest visit to Port Vila from London, where he is based.

Sylviana Hamdani – The first festival dedicated to Indonesian musicals aims to grow the country's local musical industry scene.

Suherdjoko, Semarang – Authorities are hunting for Second Cpl. Muslimin of the 4th Regional Military Command (Kodam IV) Diponegoro in Central Java for hiring hitmen to kill his 34-year-old wife Rina Wulandari.

Rachel Farahdiba R, Jakarta – Divers Clean Action (DCA) founder Swietenia Puspa Lestari stated that fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) producers Unilever, Indofood, and Mayora are the top three contributors to single-use plastic packaging waste pollution in Indonesia. This was obtained from the brand audit program conducted in June 2022 at 11 coastal areas across the archipelago.

Jakarta – Japanese automotive giant Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, or MMC, has pledged $666 million in additional investment in Indonesia over the next three years as it seeks to expand its manufacturing activities to hybrid and electric vehicles production, the top economic minister said on Tuesday.

Dozens of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have sent an open letter to Elon Musk, urging the Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) chief to not invest in Indonesia's nickel industry on environmental concerns.

New Caledonia's pro-independence FLNKS movement has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), which wants independence from Indonesia.

The deal was signed by Roch Wamytan, the President of New Caledonia's Congress, and the visiting ULMWP leader Benny Wenda.

Lee Sue-Ann – The race for Indonesia's 2024 presidential elections remains wide open. Among the top three contenders, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is the one with the most options. If he does not make a run for the nation's top job himself, he is well-placed to become a kingmaker.

Jakarta – Over 4,000 troops from a dozen countries will join an annual joint military exercise between Indonesia and the United States next month amid simmering tensions in the South China Sea, according to officials.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The death of a junior police officer has caught the nation's attention this past week, with the media and the public increasingly skeptical of the National Police's claim he had been killed in a gunfight with another lower-ranking officer after he tried to sexually assault the wife of Insp. Gen. Ferdy Sambo, the chief of internal affairs.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), agreeing to mutually support each other's independence struggles.

Ardi Bayage, Yahukimo – The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) rejects violence in the struggle for West Papuan liberation. This was conveyed by KNPB spokesperson Ones Suhuniap on Saturday July 23 when speaking with Suara Papua.

Suhuniap asserted that the KNPB rejects all forms of violence in the struggle to liberate Papua from Indonesia's colonial grasp.

Bali Water, Asia's first sustainable spring water start-up, has formed a strategic partnership with global advertising network Saatchi & Saatchi to launch plant-based bottles and a mission to plant 10 million trees in Bali by 2030.

Primus Dorimulu, Jakarta – Garibaldi "Boy" Thohir, the president director of Indonesia's second-largest listed coal miner Adaro Energy, has become the chairman of the China Committee at the country's largest business lobby group, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or Kadin.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander General Andika Perkasa received the visit of General Mark A. Milley, the 20th Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.

After the meeting, the U.S. highest-ranking military officer said his side wanted to cooperate with Indonesia in the Asia Pacific region.

Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – The founder and the current CEO of Islamic charity organization Aksi Cepat Tanggap, or ACT, were named suspects on Monday for alleged fraud in their handling of funds from US aircraft manufacturer Boeing meant as compensation for the victims of a fatal Lion Air flight.

Emma Connors, Singapore/Jakarta – Inadequate compensation, vaccine hesitancy and the difficulty involved in reaching millions of farmers are hampering Indonesia's efforts to stop the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD).

Indonesia's central government is rushing to slaughter animals that have the disease or have been in contact with it, and to vaccinate others.

Chris Barrett and Amilia Rosa, Bali – At Kubu Anyar, a five-minute motorcycle ride from Bali's popular Kuta beach, hobby farmer Made Purba Wilantara understands Australia's high anxiety about foot and mouth disease.

As the owner of a small family-run hotel in Kuta as well, he also knows just how much the Indonesian island needs Australians right now.

Victor Mambor and Alvin Prasetyo in Jayapura – The US Holocaust Memorial Museum is warning in a new report that mass killings of civilians could occur in Indonesia's troubled West Papua region in the next year to 18 months if current conditions deteriorate to a worst-case scenario.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – Batam's district court has sentenced an Indonesian captain of a Singapore-owned vessel to seven years in jail for transporting containers of hazardous and toxic liquid waste into Indonesia, breaching both environment and shipping laws.

Indriani, Mecca Yumna, Jakarta – The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry has said that an understanding of the law on sexual violence needs to be built among the general public in order to assist victims.