Alister Doyle, Oslo – Praised as guardians of tropical forests, indigenous peoples have accused governments of failing to follow up billion-dollar pledges in 2021 to enlist their help to halt deforestation.

Denpasar – Bureaucrats have a reputation for being boring. But not in Indonesia, whose civil service is full of dangerous radicals, according to the government itself. Officials regularly declare that a worryingly high share of public-sector workers are in fact Islamist extremists.

A new Asia Pacific social justice research and publication nonprofit has awarded a diversity communications trophy to a West Papuan postgraduate student who has advocated for the education and welfare of his fellow students.

Several dozen Papuan students trying to complete their studies were stranded in Aotearoa New Zealand by a sudden scholarship cancellation.

Tri Meilani A, Resinta S, Jakarta – Indonesian Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, expressed keenness to continue cooperation in the development and technology transfer for the main weapon system equipment (alutsista) with Japan during a meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Nobuo Kishi.

Jakarta, Jubi – Commission II of the House of Representatives overseeing home affairs, in a Working Meeting on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, agreed to form a Working Committee for the Deliberation of Three Bills on the Establishment of Three Provinces in Papua to be completed on June 30, 2022.

Merauke, Jubi – A number of Tanah Miring residents visited the Merauke Police on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, to dispute a 53-hectare land in Yaba Maru Village SP 9, Tanah Miring District. The land was purchased by Merauke Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) has asked the government and the community to step up booster vaccinations as an anticipatory measure against the increase in COVID-19 cases due to the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants.

Antara, Jakarta – The World Bank saw the possibility that Indonesia's economic growth rate could slow down to 4.6 percent this year, affected by unstable global conditions. For 2023, the World Bank predicts Indonesia's growth could be stuck at a level of 4.7 percent.

Ahmad Faiz Ibnu Sani, Jakarta – Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday paid a visit to the special forces command of the Kingdom of Cambodia Armed Forces in Phnom Penh. In this opportunity, the Minister was reunited with a number of military personnel he once mentored at the Indonesian Army special forces (Kopassus).

Benjamin Brown and Satyawan Pudyatmoko, Melbourne, Australia – Mangroves ring the shores of many of Indonesia's more than 17,000 islands. But in the most populated areas, the world's largest mangrove forests have been steadily whittled away, and with them, the ability to store blue carbon.

Radhiyya Indra, Jakarta – A global report from security company Fortinet shows that cyberattacks in Asia mostly take place because of the countries' shortage of specialists.

Widya Michella, Jakarta – The secretary general of the country's peak Islamic body the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), Amirsyah Tambunan, is asking the Surabaya District Court to annul a recent interfaith marriage that it authorised on June 20.

The marriage is registered as Number 916/Pdt./2022/PN/Sby.

Arrijal Rachman, Jakarta – Central Jakarta Metro Police deployed 560 personnel to guard the students' demonstration against the draft bill on criminal code or RKUHP Tuesday afternoon, June 21, 2022, around the Horse Statue area.

"560 personnel were mobilized for today's agenda," said Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Sr. Comr. Komarudin in his statement today.

It wasn't exactly done in the name of love, but the Surabaya District Court has given a landmark legal stamp for interfaith marriage.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, the current chair of the G20 is due to visit Moscow later this month to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indonesia's state news agency cited the country's security minister as saying.

Annisa Mu'awanah Sukmawati and Puji Utomo (360info), Yogyakarta – Indonesia holds 6 percent of the world's water potential – fresh water that can be used directly for daily human needs. Despite this, 85 percent of the country is in drought, according to government officials.

Maria Fatima Bona, Jakarta – Indonesia has recorded more than 1,000 new Covid-19 cases in a day for six consecutive days that should be greeted with alarm, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

The recent hike was a major setback in the country's fight against the pandemic after successfully containing the daily tally below the 1,000 mark for more than two months.

Yustinus Paat, Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The House of Representatives is mulling over a more generous paternity leave on the maternal and child welfare bill.

Lenny Tristia Tambun, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo celebrated his 61st birthday on Tuesday surrounded by top executives of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) that became his political vehicle to the country's number one job.

Aprila Wayar and Johnny Blades – In April of this year, Indonesia's parliament approved a plan to create three new provinces in Papua, the easternmost region of the archipelago.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) says that the presence of 21 coal fired power stations (PLTU) in nearby Banten province is contributing to the poor air quality in Jakarta.

This was revealed by LBH Jakarta public defender Jeany Sirait in response to Jakarta's air quality, which over the last few days has been rated as the worst in the world.

Jakarta – Scores of students from the National Alliance for Reform of the Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP) held a symbolic action at the Horse Statue monument in Central Jakarta calling for revisions to the draft law to be revealed to the public immediately.

UCA News reporter, Jakarta – A senior police officer in Indonesia's Christian-dominated North Sumatra province has issued a public apology to a priest he stopped and berated for trying to pass through a roadblock.

The incident in the town of Tomok on June 16 was captured on video and uploaded on social media, sparking outrage.

Jakarta (Antara) – The latest data from IQAir, an international apex body monitoring air quality, has ranked the capital city of Jakarta as the most polluted city in the world by scoring 193 on the air quality index on Monday morning due to the PM2.5 concentration reaching 27.4 times over the WHO annual guideline, measuring at 136.9 grams per cubic meter.

Zacharias Wuragil, Jakarta – Indonesia recorded over 1,000 daily cases of Covid-19 over the weekend. According to the Health Ministry, there were 1,264 new cases and five deaths on Saturday, and 1,167 new cases and three deaths on Sunday.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, has officially ratified Law No. 13/2022 overseeing the changes on Law No. 12/2021 on legislation formation (UU PPP) on Thursday, June 16, which regulates the omnibus law legislation method.

Muhammad Hendartyo, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto said Indonesia planned to impose a cap and trade tax and offset or carbon tax on coal-fired power plants starting July 2022. Coal-fired power plants operating inefficiently and producing emissions higher than the upper cap will be subject to additional costs.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – The President of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Ahmad Syaikhu, said Indonesia had been sliding toward authoritarianism in the past ten years. He made the statement during the party's national leadership meeting at Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel, Central Jakarta today, June 20, 2022.

Claire Jiao and Grace Sihombing – Most of Indonesia's pandemic-era fiscal incentives are set to expire at the end of the month, adding a new layer of challenge to the economy already facing risks from quickening inflation and a looming increase in borrowing costs.

Chen Lin and Bernadette Christina, Singapore/Jakarta – Indonesian authorities hope to reach an agreement with Singapore to start exporting chickens within weeks, officials said, as the city-state scrambles to find alternative supply sources after another neighbour Malaysia restricted sales.

Ravi Buddhavarapu – President Joko Widodo denied that Indonesia has turned protectionist during his tenure, saying the gates remain open to all players – including Tesla – that want to use the country's plentiful natural resources, if they set up plants that can add to the local economy.

Police in South Jakarta arrested five people in connection with an alleged prostitution party with a crude theme at an adult spa and massage parlor.

Say goodbye to the pandemic lull and hello to the fine particulates we get to inhale in Jakarta as life all but returns to full swing in the capital.

Manokwari, Jubi – The National West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) claims to have stabbed a Papuan member of the Yon D Wamena Mobile Brigade, Second Brig. Diego Rumaropen, on Saturday, June 18, 2022.

Indra Yoga – Astronaut and protector of outer space "Buzz Lightyear" cooperates with many characters, including his commander Alisha, who is in love with another woman. A kiss between Alisha and her partner in the science fiction-adventure computer animation film produced by Pixaar and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures only lasts a few seconds.

Jakarta – Indonesia has moved a step closer to its goal of becoming a vaccine production hub, as a series of locally developed COVID-19 vaccine candidates enter the advanced stages of clinical trials.

This is a crucial move, considering the prolonged pandemic and the potential for future outbreaks.

Jakarta – A number of civil society organisations have urged the government to publish the latest version of the Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP).

Up until now the latest draft of the RKUHP still cannot be accessed by the public even though it will reportedly be enacted into law in July.

Hipolitus Wangge, ANU – Prime Minister James Marape visited Jakarta at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo in March 2022 – a few months ahead of PNG's national elections.

Jakarta (Beritasatu) – The National Democratic Party, or Nasdem, has a shortlist of no more than three for their potential candidates for the 2024 presidential election.

Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has discussed the plan to hold a peaceful dialogue to resolve the problems in Papua during its visit to the United Nation's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Thousands of Timor-Leste Catholics lined the streets of capital Dili to observe the feast of Corpus Christi in a solemn procession of the Blessed Sacrament.

The annual celebration was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid pandemic restrictions.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is planning to formulate fiscal and non-fiscal incentive schemes that are hoped to attract funding for the infrastructure developments of the new capital city project set to be located at East Kalimantan.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Chairperson of the University of Indonesia Law Faculty (UI) Student Executive Board (BEM) Adam Putra Firdaus criticized the latest draft of the penal code law (RKUHP) which criminalizes the act of contempt against the government. Adam believed that criminalizing someone for criticizing the government is a dangerous maneuver by lawmakers.

Jakarta – Police will have to do a better job in explaining why they have arrested 23 people these last two weeks in connection with the Khilafatul Muslimin, a hitherto a little-known group that the authorities say aspires to turn Indonesia into an Islamic state.

Probolinggo, East Java – Thousands of Hindu worshippers climbed Mount Bromo volcano in East Java on Thursday to throw offerings from crops to livestock down its smouldering crater in a centuries-old religious ceremony.

M Zulfikar, Fadhli Ruhman, Jakarta – The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has communicated the fundamental developments related to the advancement and enforcement of human rights in Indonesia to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Aisyah Llewellyn, Medan, Indonesia – Indonesia is once again facing a potential legal crisis as the passage of its controversial draft criminal code – a complete overhaul of the current criminal code – looks imminent.

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. Or in this case, don't have sex on a public beach in Bali – opening yourself up (no pun intended) to being recorded by creeps and seeing your XXX clip posted online – if you don't want the authorities to catch more than just a glimpse of your butt.

Parker Novak – China and Australia's duelling Pacific tours make final stops. East Timor deals cap Chinese foreign minister's 10-day Pacific blitz. Anthony Albanese talks with Timor-Leste leadership as he flies to Indonesia.

A story about an alleged marriage con has become a hot topic in Indonesia as it involves a woman who said she only discovered her husband is actually a woman 10 months after their wedding.