Jakarta (Antara) – Indonesia is temporarily pulling its diplomats out of North Korea in response to the latter's coronavirus lockdown, the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced.

Mega Safitri, Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) urged Firli Bahuri to immediately step down as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairman.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) on Thursday extended the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States Ambassador Sung Yong Kim regarding the two country's partnership on counterterrorism.

The meeting was held with minimal attendance between BNPT chairperson Boy Rafli and Kim on July 22.

Caesar Akbar, Budiarti Utami, Aji Nugroho, Jakarta – Ivermectin continues to be a hot topic of discussion after the antiparasitic drug – which has been excluded by India from its list of coronavirus treatment – was promoted by some notable individuals in Indonesia as a drug to treat Covid-19 patients.

Antara, Jakarta – The head of the work committee (Panja) on the sexual violence eradication bill (RUU PKS), Willy Aditya, said that the bill will cover sexual violence in the digital realm.

The story of a third grader from East Kalimantan who became an orphan after his parents succumbed to COVID-19 has tugged at the hearts of Indonesians across the country.

Kate Lamb – Indonesia is suffering a devastating wave of coronavirus infections, driven by the Delta variant, but the government is already talking about relaxing social curbs enacted earlier this month – a move analysts say is largely led by economic considerations.

Joe Lo – The Indonesian government has released an updated 2030 climate plan and long term strategy that indicate the country's reliance on coal will continue well into the 2050's.

In a 156-page long term strategy document submitted to the UN, it outlines three pathways including a "low carbon scenario compatible with the Paris Agreement".

Ronna Nirmala, Jakarta – Indonesian police arrested a Papuan separatist leader who was on the run after he escaped from a prison in Papua with several others in 2016, while serving a life sentence for the killings of three police officers, officials said Friday.

Lani Diana Wijaya, Maudey K. Setyakusuma, Jakarta – Criminal sanctions will be imposed towards the violators of health protocols in Jakarta. This is currently being discussed in the revision of Jakarta Regional Regulation No. 2 of 2020 regarding Covid-19 Response.

Indonesia's central bank left its benchmark rate unchanged and pledged to maintain a "pro-growth" policy into next year as one of the most severe Covid outbreaks in the world puts the economy's recovery at risk.

Valmai Alzena Karla, Jakarta – The Indonesian Religious Affairs Ministry Head of research, development, education, and training, Achmad Gunaryo, on Thursday claims that its recent study suggests the Indonesian society has become more religious during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jakarta – The government is thanking everyone who has helped tackle the Covid-19 pandemic and ensure the strict social restrictions are in order.

Jakarta – The UK has recently opened an eight-week public consultation on the new trading rules which will reduce and simplify tariffs for low and lower-middle income countries, including Indonesia.

Jakarta (Agencies) – Indonesia reported a record high 1,383 deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to data from the country's COVID-19 task force (Satgas COVID-19).

Jayapura – Hospitals in Papua are nearing full capacity amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, with health officials bracing for the full impact of the virulent Delta variant on one of the country's least-developed areas.

Tom Allard, Jakarta – The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday urged Indonesia to implement a stricter and wider lockdown to combat surging COVID-19 infections and deaths, just days after the country's president flagged the easing of restrictions.

Bernadette Christina, Jakarta – American mining giant Freeport McMoRan will not proceed with plans to build a new copper smelter with China's Tsingshan Holding Group, its local Indonesian unit, PT Freeport Indonesia's spokesman told Reuters on Thursday.

Gemma Holliani Cahya, Jakarta – Usually every Eid al-Adha, Riki Priyanto's father would bring home goat or beef from the nearby mosque. The meat had been donated by devotees and distributed to the poor, like Riki's family, to celebrate the Islamic day of sacrifice.

Indonesians turning to drugs during the pandemic has become a topic of discussion after a certain celebrity couple's recent meth bust, with official data pointing towards increased abuse due to stress and depression.

Residents of a village in East Java's Situbondo regency were caught on film destroying the coffin of a deceased COVID-19 patient, the video of which has widely circulated in Indonesia.

Joniansyah (Contributor), Jakarta – The Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as of Friday, July 23, will soon impose a beefier travel restriction and restrict foreign arrivals that fail to meet the official visitation requirements.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian Defense Ministry on Thursday confirmed that it is currently in the process of procuring six T-50i Golden Eagle trainer jets from South Korea that is worth US$240 million with the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

Ian Storey – Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto has been on an accelerated drive to modernise the TNI. But there are significant drawbacks to his procurement strategy of diversification.

Despite the pandemic, Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia's defence minister, has been racking up the frequent flyer miles.

Wisnu Agung Prasetyo – Indonesia reported the highest number of new coronavirus infections in the world for the week that ended on July 18, according to the World Health Organization.

While the numbers appear to be coming down in recent days, one public health expert says deaths will continue to rise.

Jakarta (Bloomberg) – When Indonesian President Joko Widodo spoke with influential business groups on June 30 to discuss imposing a full-scale lockdown as Covid-19 cases spiked, he was met with widespread resistance.

A community of koi breeders and sellers in Indonesia may have saved COVID-19 patients desperate for pure oxygen from inhaling regular air, with authorities investigating an alleged oxygen tank refill scam.

Victor Mambor, Jayapura – Civilian Yosep Samogoi (26) has been allegedly shot by an Indonesian soldier named Syarifudin of the 1707-07/Kepi Subdistrict Military Command on Friday, July 16, 2021 in Kanami Village, Mappi Regency.

Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has found indications of connections between political party members, public officials and businesspeople in the use of the drug Ivermectin to treat Covid-19.

Presidential Chief of Staff (KSP) Moeldoko and ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Ribka Tjiptaning Proletariyati were cited in ICW's findings.

Agustinus Beo Da Costa – Hospitals in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua are nearing full capacity amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, with health officials bracing for the full impact of the virulent Delta variant on one of the country's least-developed areas.

Maghvira Arzaq Karima, Maudey K. Setyakusuma (Intern), Jakarta – The number of Covid-19 positive cases in Indonesia has drastically increased, including in the Papua Province. The latest data released in the official website covid19.papua.go.idon July 22, shows that to date, there are 29,047 confirmed Covid cases in Indonesia's easternmost province.

Jakarta – The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Indonesia exceeded the 3 million mark on Thursday amid a dramatic surge in new infections and record-breaking daily death toll attributed to the highly transmissible Delta strain.

Grace Nadia Chandra, Sahrudin Nurdin, Iman Rahman Cahyadi, Jakarta – The police have prepared to press charges against a man from Ternate, North Maluku, who last week donned his wife's burqa, a Muslim woman's attire covering one's face, to slip past Covid-19 travel checkpoint despite having tested positive with the disease.

Duncan Graham – Four years ago Oxfam published research showing the four richest men in Indonesia own as much wealth as the country's poorest 100 million citizens.

Residents of Balongan district in West Java's Indramayu regency recently made the heartbreaking discovery of a mother holding onto the decomposing body of her daughter – a case that illustrates how medical attention for COVID-19 is a privilege for many Indonesians.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) says that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) under the leadership of Firli Bahuri has become an institution which is authoritarian and anti-criticism.

Rr Ariyani, Bisnis, Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – University of Indonesia (UI) senior economist Faisal Basri criticized the government's latest plan that will once again change Covid-19 public restriction from 'emergency PPKM' to level-based categories ranging from 1 to 4.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – Head of the National Police criminal investigation unit, Gen. Commissioner Agus Andrianto on Wednesday said authorities are investigating information regarding an alleged cremation cartel for bodies of Covid-19 patients.

Jakarta – The government has decided to extend strict restrictions on community activities by five days until July 25 before gradually relaxing them should the pandemic shows signs of subsiding and regions' mitigation capacity improves, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Tuesday.

Divya Karyza, Jakarta – State-owned power distributor PLN has extended an electricity relief scheme to the end of the year to ease the burden on consumers and businesses, many of whom are suffering financially under emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat) imposed to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Jakarta – The unanimous House of Representatives decision last week to endorse the revised Papuan Special Autonomy Law shows, yet again, the propensity of the Jakarta elite to dictate the future of the territory, despite persistent calls to honor local demands.

A pro-independence movement in West Papua has appealed to several Western countries – including New Zealand – to provide urgent humanitarian help by supplying covid vaccines directly to the Papuans to cope with the "double crisis" in the Indonesian-ruled region.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The Indonesian government adopted a new alert system regarding the Covid-19 outbreak to manage the level of risks and determine necessary intervention based on the risk level.

Shruti Menon – With the surge of the Delta variant in Indonesia, misleading claims about products claiming to be cures and preventions are on the rise.

Hospitals are struggling to cope with soaring numbers of patients and shortages of oxygen, and people are increasingly desperate to get help for sick family or friends.

Gemma Holliani Cahya in Jakarta and agencies – Muslims across Indonesia marked a grim Eid al-Adha festival for a second year on Tuesday as the country struggles to cope with a devastating new wave of coronavirus cases.

Tabloid Jubi, Jayapura – The West Papuan Council of Churches (WPCC) has condemned the Indonesian government's Special Autonomy (Otsus) law ratified by the Jakarta parliament last week, describing it as racist and warning that Papuans could "become extinct".

Nivell Rayda, Jakarta – From sterilised milk to green coconuts, Indonesians have been stocking up on healthy drinks, food and spices as the COVID-19 caseload rose sharply.

Indonesia's government is set to decide whether to extend the country's toughest coronavirus curbs to date, as the country's death toll soars to record highs.

Fuelled by the spread of the more virulent Delta variant, Indonesia has reported more new COVID-19 cases than any country in the world, according to the seven-day average from a Reuters data tracker.

Eustance Huang – Indonesia needs to "protect the people" and spend more to support them during the pandemic – and it's not likely to impair the economic recovery, the country's finance minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, claimed on Tuesday.

Jessica Washington and Syarina Hasibuan, Jakarta, Indonesia – In a residential street in Bogor, on the outskirts of the Indonesian capital, yet another family has lost a loved one to COVID-19.