M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – Setara Institute named the city of Singkawang in West Kalimantan as the most tolerant city in the country in the human rights watchdog's diversity index of 2021.

Triyan Pangastuti, Jakarta – Indonesia's state budget saw a surplus for the second consecutive month of the year as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic began to ease, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Monday.

The Rp 19.7 trillion ($1.37 billion) surplus in the February results is equivalent to 0.1 percent of the gross domestic product.

Siwage Dharma Negara, Manggi Habir – World's largest crude palm oil producer Indonesia faces the challenge of managing the rising cost of cooking oil, as external shocks and supply issues worsen, going into the fasting month of Ramadhan.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Indonesia's top Muslim clerical body has urged Islamic groups not to target restaurants and street food stalls serving meals to non-Muslims in daylight hours during the holy month of Ramadan which begins next week.

Rimar Andhika, Jakarta – Jakarta thrill seekers can now pump up their adrenaline while eating dinner thanks to the opening of a new crane-lifted restaurant in the Mangkuluhur City development complex on Jl. Gatot Subroto, Semanggi, South Jakarta.

Jakarta – The onus is now on Indonesia, which hosted the fourth Conference of Parties (COP4) on the Minamata Convention on Mercury over the weekend, to lead by example and walk the talk in further phasing out mercury following the conclusion of the international event.

Jakarta – The state energy company Pertamina has been open to the possibility to buy crude oil from Russia amid a series of sanctions by Western countries against the country, the company's president director Nicke Widyawati told the lawmakers on Monday.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Human rights activist Theo Hesegem voiced his concern about the recent conflict in Papua between the Indonesian law enforcement members (military and police) and the West Papua Liberation Army and Free Papua Movement (TPNPB-OPM). He believed that the situation has worsened and claimed many lives.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Activist Ubedillah Badrun on Tuesday criticized members of the House of Representatives (DPR) after news emerged suggesting that DPR had submitted an IDR 48.7 billion budget to spend on replacing curtains in their official residence.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights or Komnas HAM is still attempting to meet the commander of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) and the leader of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Benny Wenda. Meetings are being sought in the midst of the ongoing conflict in Papua.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Community (MAKI) planned to file a pretrial lawsuit against Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi and the Trade Ministry's Director-General of Consumer Protection and Trade Order for not revealing the cooking oil mafia.

Antara, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office discovered the distribution of imported products using domestic labels or brands in a number of shopping centers.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – The House of Representatives' (DPR) Legislation Body (Baleg) and the government have commenced discussion on the substance of the sexual violence crime bill or RUU TPKS, including the problem inventory list (DIM) issued by the government on Monday, March 28.

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan claims that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is liked by many people.

And not just in Indonesia. The name Jokowi is famous even among world leaders.

Dian Erika Nugraheny, Jakarta – The Association of Indonesian Village Governments (APDESI) says that following the Lebaran holidays at the end of the Ramadan fasting month it will declare its support for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo serving a third presidential term.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Indonesia looks set to continue its heavy reliance on coal in its energy mix under a legislative sleight of hand: it will define fuels derived from coal as "new energy" and ignore any carbon emissions associated with them as "minimal."

Laras Susanti – In mid-March, one of President Joko Widodo's female special staffers, Ayu Kartika Dewi, sparked controversy across Indonesia. But it was not because of corruption, abuse of power or any other sort of political scandal. It was simply because Ayu Kartika, a Muslim, married her Catholic boyfriend, Gerald Bastian.

Iftar (breaking the fast during Ramadan) without its social aspects is not quite iftar. With loosened COVID-19 restrictions, Indonesian Muslims may once again feast with family and friends during this year's Ramadan, but there might some awkward silences at the dining table this time.

Leaders from the three key parties in the Timor-Leste governing coalition have confirmed that are supporting the incumbent head of state, Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres, in the second round of the presidential elections next month, reports Lusa news agency.

Former President Megawati Soekarnoputri seems eager to grease herself away from accusations of being tone deaf by holding a cooking demo without cooking oil amid a nationwide shortage of the product.

Controversial former health minister Terawan Agus Putranto has elected not to further stir the pot after he was forever barred from medical practice.

Katharina R. Lestari, Jakarta – Two Indonesian marines were killed and eight wounded in an attack by separatist rebels on a military post in restive Papua province.

It follows an attack by the same group earlier this month in which eight civilians were slain.

Yudith Ho, Jakarta, Indonesia – The party backing President Joko Widodo is urging Indonesians to start boiling, steaming and roasting food instead of frying them as the price of edible oil surges.

Jakarta – Counterterrorism squad Detachment 88 has arrested 16 suspected members of homegrown militant network Indonesia Islamic State, or NII, during recent operations in West Sumatra, a senior officer said on Monday.

The16 suspects were arrested at separate locations on Friday, according to Chief Comr. Aswin Siregar, the elite unit's head of operational support division.

Timor-Leste is headed for a runoff presidential election after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta failed to secure more than 50 percent of the vote despite a commanding lead over a fellow former independence fighter, incumbent President Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres.

Timor-Leste is headed for a run-off presidential election after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta failed to secure more than 50 per cent of the vote, despite a commanding lead over a fellow former independence fighter, incumbent President Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – An area of natural forest a tenth the size of Seoul has been cleared by a subsidiary of South Korean paper giant Moorim in Indonesia's Papua region, a new report shows.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO) executive director Dedi Kurnia Syah said Monday its latest survey showed the public approval rating of President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, experienced a sudden fall within just one month.

Arrijal Rachman, Jakarta – National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara said Monday he did not think that plans for a peaceful dialogue to be held in Papua should involve the United Nations (UN).

Arrijal Rachman, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights or Komnas HAM chairman Ahmad Taufan Damanik accused a number of irregularities in the handling of the cage case in the Langkat Regent Terbit Rencana Perangin Angin's house by North Sumatra Police.

Jakarta – Political observer Hendri Satrio from the KedaiKOPI survey institute has criticised the plan to fund the construction of the new capital city (IKN) Nusantara in East Kalimantan by involving the public like a crowdfunding campaign.

Antara, Jakarta – The Law and Human Rights Ministry recorded a significant increase in the number of international travelers arriving at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali Province, and Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Banten Province, after the implementation of no-quarantine policy.

Jakarta – Many Indonesian students attend after-school tutoring sessions to get a better grasp of the material they are learning, but the success of these tutoring agencies raises questions about the state of education in the country.

Kornelius Purba, Jakarta – In 2021 only 45 foreign tourists visited Bali after Indonesia closed its borders almost the whole year to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as other countries did the same. The situation has improved significantly this year and the resort island has steadily reopened the door for tourists. Other tourist destinations are also expecting full recovery.

Jakarta – Former Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto has been kicked out of the Indonesian Doctors Association, or IDI, for "serious ethical misconducts", prominent members confirmed on Saturday.

Terawan served with the Joko Widodo administration for just 14 months until December 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic began to rage across the country.

Anauli Karima Fai'ai in Auckland – Papuan students are appealing for support in New Zealand after the Indonesian government terminated the autonomous West Papuan scholarships of 42 tertiary students across the country.

Jakarta – Several young Indonesians have over the past two years been frequently referred to as the "crazy rich" on social media, television news, newspapers and other mass media outlets because of their ostentatious life styles.

Jakarta – The scarcity of cooking oil in various parts of Indonesia has continued for at least three months. Over this time however, the government and police have failed to find the masterminds behind the shortages.

Khalis Surry, Raka Adji, Banda Aceh, Aceh – The Ministry of Health stated that the number of Indonesian citizens going abroad, especially to Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, for medical treatment reached one million per year.

Rimar Andhika, Jakarta – One of Indonesia's most famous mountain peaks will lose its snow soon according to Indonesia's Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG). Puncak Jayawijaya, located in the Jayawijaya Mountains in Papua, is known for being the tallest mountain in Indonesia and one of the only places in Indonesia with snow.

Jakarta – The West Papua National Liberation Army-Free Papua Organisation (TPNPB-OPM) has rejected peace talks with the government if it is only mediated by National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM). They are also asking President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to be prepared to sit down with them at the negotiating table.

Tempo.Co, Rini Kustiani, Jakarta – Indonesia ranks third in the world in the number of tuberculosis cases after India and China with a total of 824,000 cases and a fatality rate of 93,000 annually. The Health Ministry reported that at this rate, 11 deaths are recorded in each passing hour statistically.

Moh Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) legislation body (Baleg) deputy, Willy Aditya, on Thursday said that sessions regarding the Personal Data Protection Bill are currently hampered by talks about which independent institution will end up managing the personal data.

Jakarta – The government said Indonesia would hold the G-20 Summit neutrally and impartially, resisting calls from the West to exclude Russia from the annual meeting of the world's 20 largest economies over the war in Ukraine.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Friday instructed his government to spend more on domestic products for their procurement needs to propel economic growth and job creation, even threatening to have another cabinet shake-up if the ministries still rely on imports.

Jakarta – Anwar Usman, a 65-year-old widower and chief justice of the Constitutional Court, will give his fiance Idawati the ultimate gift of love for her 56th birthday on May 26: a wedding held in Surakarta, Central Java. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo will be the most important guest at the happy event, being the elder brother of the bride.

Muhammad Zulfikar, Suharto, Jakarta – Chief of the National Defense Forces (TNI), General Andika Perkasa, and Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia, Kanasugi Kenji, have discussed plans for defense and security cooperation in the Asian region.

Rizky Alif Alvian – Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia was banned in 2017, but the propagation of HTI's ideology has continued to thrive in Indonesia via various media channels.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition insists that the emergence of Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan's name in a video discussion between Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti was based on research and investigation data.

Jubi TV – National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) chair Ahmad Taufan Damanik said his party was currently overseeing cases of alleged human rights violations that occurred in Paniai and Wamena, Papua Province, and Wasior, West Papua Province.