Lumajang, East Java – The death toll from the eruption of Mount Semeru has risen to 39, authorities said Wednesday, as rescuers scrambled to retrieve more bodies under the threat of further volcanic activity.

Jakarta – Suciwati, the widow of assassinated human rights activists Munir Said Thalib, is continued to fight for justice for her husband. Today, she along with the Solidarity Action Committee for Munir (KASUM), she visited the Attorney General's Office to hand over new evidence in the case.

Jakarta – Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (Safenet) Executive Director Damar Juniarto has revealed that digital attacks, primarily against activists, increased on 2020-2021. This mostly happened when there was public opposition to certain government policies.

Mentari Dwi Gayati, Suharto, Jakarta – The Confederation of Indonesian Labor Unions (KSPI) has threatened to call a nationwide strike if the government does not meet workers' demands.

Tommy Ardiansyah, Curah Kobokan, East Java – At the foot of Indonesia's Mount Semeru, what is left of the houses along the main village road are covered in a thick layer of hardened volcanic ash.

Women's rights activists in Indonesia have declared a state of emergency over gender-based violence following the suicide of a woman who was allegedly raped and twice forced to have an abortion by her policeman boyfriend, in a case that highlights the public's dwindling trust towards law enforcement in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – A number of streets in Jakarta near the National Monument (Monas) heading to the City Hall and Merdeka Palace will be temporarily closed as there will be a stage for a labor rally in protest against the 2022 provincial minimum wage (UMP) increase of 1.09 percent.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – An Indonesian police officer is facing a jail sentence after being charged with forcing his girlfriend into having two abortions in a case that has sparked public outrage when it emerged she had later taken her own life.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the immediate release of Muhammad Asrul, a journalist in central Indonesia's South Sulawesi province who has been sentenced to three months in prison in a defamation case which, under Indonesian law, should have been treated as a civil matter. The prosecution must drop the case and let him be acquitted on appeal, RSF says.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – A legal advocacy group in Timor-Leste has called on people in the Catholic-majority country to show respect for the alleged sex abuse victims of former priest Richard Daschbach.

Evan A. Laksmana – China has subjected Indonesia to maritime grey zone tactics in the South China Sea, much like how Beijing treats disputant states in the South China Sea. While Jakarta is technically not a disputant state, it is in denial about Beijing's increasingly assertive actions.

Arjuna Pademme, Jayapura, Jubi – Lawmaker of the Papua Legislative Council's Commission for Political Administration, Law, and Human Rights Laurenzus Kadepa said that the state must prove its commitment to resolving alleged gross human rights violations in Papua's Paniai Regency on December 7 and 8, 2014.

Lucentezza Napitupulu, Mulia Nurhasan, John F McCarthy, Yusuf Bahtimi Samsudin, Amy Ickowitz – In June 2020, the Indonesian government responded to fears of a COVID-19 food crisis by establishing a new plan. At first, the program aimed to develop new food estates in peatlands, where President Soeharto had carved out the one million hectares PLG Food Estate Program in 1996.

What's more ironic than a self-proclaimed anti-racist ranting about the influx of foreigners?

That's the question on a lot of people's minds after watching a series of Instagram Stories by former Puteri Indonesia 2015 finalist Olvah Bwefar Alhamid complaining about too many Chinese nationals arriving at the airport.

One of the leaders of an Islamic boarding school (pesantren) in Bandung, West Java is standing trial for allegedly raping at least 12 teenage girls, the prosecutor said this week, four of whom became pregnant and gave birth.

Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta – The Student Alliance is asking that all nine forms of sexual violence still be included in the Draft Law on Sexual Violence Crimes (RUU TPKS), formally known as RUU PKS.

Two university lecturers in Palembang, South Sumatra have gripped national headlines over allegations of sexual misconduct.

Clara Maria Tjandra Dewi H., Jakarta – Jakarta Metro Police's Traffic Directorate mobilized 400 personnel to regulate traffic flow in the capital city due to workers' demonstration in a number of locations today, December 8. The Police Traffic Director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said there would be several rallies taking place at the same time.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) and the #CleanupIndonesia Movement Coalition held a theatrical action in front of the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) red-and-white building in South Jakarta on Wednesday December 8.

The action was held to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day which falls tomorrow, on December 9.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, on Wednesday officially inaugurated the Tebelian Airport located at the Sintang Regency in West Kalimantan, which cost Rp518 billion to build and is designed to serve 75,000 travelers annually.

He made it clear that smooth connectivity is key amidst a competitive nature between countries in the world.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo outlined a number of solutions offered by the government for preventing floods in Sintang Regency of West Kalimantan.

Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – Indonesia is ranked 9th most powerful country out of the 26 countries, according to the Lowy Institute's 2021 Asia Power Index with a score of 19.4 out of 100.

Jakarta – Communications and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate announced over the weekend that more than 20 million teenagers in Indonesia have received their first Covid-19 vaccine dose as of December 3.

This means that Indonesia has accomplished 76.85 percent of its teen vaccination target. Of that number, 14.8 million teens or 55.5 percent are fully vaccinated.

Jakarta – There is no need for more evidence showing that Indonesia desperately requires a tough and progressive law to eradicate the sexual violence that remains rampant in the country.

Antara, Jakarta – Thousands of workers again planned to hold demonstrations tomorrow, December 8, to demand an increase in next year's provincial minimum wage or UMP at least 10 percent in Jakarta.

Curah Kobokan, East Java – The death toll from the eruption of Mount Semeru volcano rose to 34 on Tuesday, the national disaster agency said, as aid was rushed to the affected region.

The mountain on the island of Java had thundered to life on Saturday, ejecting volcanic ash high into the sky and raining hot mud on villages as thousands of panicked people fled their homes.

An Indonesian court has delivered a landmark victory for Indigenous rights in a case that pitted West Papuan activists against several palm oil companies.

Aisyah Llewellyn – Ben Husen, a journalist from Lhokseumawe in Indonesia's ultraconservative Aceh Province, has a secret. He has yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Jakarta – Indonesia will bring in a new levy for palm plantations within the next two years, the proceeds of which will be used to protect public interests and the environment, its finance minister said on Tuesday.

Arys Aditya – Indonesia canceled its planned restrictions for the year-end period as its Covid-19 vaccination coverage and testing capacity has improved.

Yogyakarta, Jubi – The head of the Follow-up Team for the Investigation of Gross Human Rights Violations of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), Amiruddin, has called on the Attorney General's Office (AGO) to investigate the Paniai incident in a transparent manner, in order to foster public trust.

Jakarta, Jubi – Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has ensured that the alleged gross human rights violations in Paniai, Papua, would be held according to law, now that the Attorney General's Office (AGO) has appointed 22 prosecutors to investigate the case.

Bisnis.Com, Jakarta – The Christmas and New Year's holiday is right around the corner. A survey by indoguidebook.com showed that most people, 53 percent to be exact, opt to spend their holidays at home.

Reiner Brabar, Aimas – Supporting the regional government's plan to revoke the business permits of three palm oil companies, at least 53 organisations have decided to spend the night at the Sorong Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) office in West Papua province.

Police have arrested popular Indonesian adult content creator who goes by the name Siskaeee for a pornographic clip that was filmed at the Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA), which went viral late last week.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi' Widodo just got his highest approval rating during the pandemic Covid-19, placing him among one of the most popular democratic leaders in the world.

Jakarta, Jubi – The Attorney General's Office of Indonesia has established a team to investigate alleged human rights violations in Paniai, Papua in 2014.

A police officer in East Java has been dismissed from the force and charged with forcing abortion on an ex-girlfriend, in a case that has enraged Indonesians over the weekend.

Guardian staff with agencies – Indonesia's Mount Semeru spewed more ash on Monday, forcing rescuers to suspend the search for survivors as aerial images showed the extent of the devastation unleashed by the volcano's deadly weekend eruption.

Yamin Kogoya – This past week marked 60 years since West Papua declared independence on 1 December 1961.

Around the world, Papuans and solidarity groups commemorated this national day in melancholic spirits – the weight of that fateful day carries courage and pride, but also great suffering and betrayal.

Mukhlish Jamal Musa Holle – Indonesia can become a significant global player in tackling the climate crisis if it optimises the work of protecting and rehabilitating forests. This is because the country is home to Asia's largest tropical forest.

Haeril Halim, Lumajang, East Java – Indonesia's Mount Semeru spewed more ash on Monday, hampering the search for survivors as aerial images showed the extent of the devastation unleashed by the volcano's deadly weekend eruption.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Former investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Novel Baswedan has accepted the offer to become a civil servant (ASN) at the National Police.

He conveyed his willingness after participating in the dissemination of the National Police Regulation No. 15 of 2021 on the appointment of 57 former KPK employees to become a police ASN.

Astrid F H, Resinta S, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto targets the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination to reach 41.8 percent of Indonesia's total population, or 113 million people, by the end of 2021.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is urging the Attorney General's Office (AGO) investigation team which is to investigate alleged gross human rights violations during the Paniai incident in Papua to question former TNI (Indonesian military) chief Moeldoko.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Bali, Indonesia – Palm oil industry watchdogs are warning of a possible surge in deforestation across Indonesia, after the government ended a three-year freeze on issuing permits for new plantations.

An application by the United Liberation Movement of West Papua to become a full member of Melanesian Spearhead Group has been re-activated.

Last year, the ULMWP announced itself as a provisional government in exile for West Papua, as it pushes for a referendum on independence from Indonesia.

Fana Suparman & Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors made history on Monday by recommending a death sentence for a key defendant in a major corruption case at military insurer Asabri.

Surabaya – The Navy received the fifth Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) fully built by state-owned shipbuilding company PAL Indonesia in the East Java capital of Surabaya on Sunday.

Antara, Jakarta – Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga reminded the public of the urgency of the sexual violence prevention bill and sought support for the bill's ratification to be completed by year-end.