Jakarta – Human Rights activist Veronica Koman has confirmed reports that there was communication between herself and the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) chairperson for the Merauke region known by the initials EKM.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said the government would not revoke the Law on Electronic Information and Transaction or ITE Law. He said revoking the law was the same as committing suicide.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD disclosed several planned changes to the Law on Electronic Information and Transactions or the ITE Law.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesian National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo in a statement encouraged every police personnel to help eradicate street thugs (preman) and gang-related crimes.

"The state will not lose out against thuggery. Thugs must be eradicated soon, arrest them and put an end to the issue," said the Police Chief on Thursday, June 10.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – The Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) coordinator, Merah Johansyah Ismail, on Friday urged law enforcers to investigate the death of Sangihe Islands Deputy Regent, Helmud Hontong, who suddenly died aboard a Bali-Makassar commercial flight on June 9.

Ryan Dagur, Jakarta – The sex abuse trial of an ex-priest in Timor-Leste has been put on hold for a fifth time after a bid to hold the hearing by video link was stopped due to "technical issues."

Dengue fever infections dropped dramatically in an Indonesian study where a bacteria was introduced into disease-carrying mosquitoes, offering hope in the battle against an illness that sickens millions annually around the world.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities have arrested a Papuan pro-independence leader for allegedly spreading false and inflammatory stories on social media, including fake news about Catholic Church leaders.

Reuters – A jump in coronavirus cases on Indonesia's two most populous islands has health experts worried the worst could be yet to come, with few curbs on movement at a time when dangerous variants drive record fatalities elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

Aisyah Llewellyn, Jakarta, Indonesia – Indonesians continue to hold their breath as they await the outcome of a landmark legal battle over who is responsible for Jakarta's dirty air after a panel of judges delayed their decision for the second time in two months.

Erwin Renaldi and Farid M Ibrahim – For many Muslims, performing hajj – one of the Islamic pillars – is a lifelong aspiration and one that is only possible for those who are financially and physically able.

Even then, most will only experience the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia once in their lifetime.

Antara, Jakarta – Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria appealed to residents of the capital city to stay vigilant as COVID-19 cases are raging again. Riza said the hospital bed occupancy rate in Jakarta has now reached 65 percent.

Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission IX Deputy Chairman, Charles Honoris, urged the central government to "pull the emergency brake" in a bid to suppress COVID-19 transmission given a dramatic surge in cases in several regions after the Eid holidays.

M Rosseno Aji, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has presented a new piece of evidence to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) supervisory board in the alleged case of misconduct committed by the anti graft's chairperson Firli Bahuri.

Firli had allegedly violated the institution's rules by riding on board a luxury helicopter in one of his work visits.

Jakarta – Strange, opaque and not in accordance with the state finances that are in a mess, the plan by the defense minister to buy weapons must be cancelled. The Finance Minister must not remain silent.

Jakarta (Reuters) – The Indonesian palm oil association (GAPKI) is urging oil palm plantations to tighten Covid-19 protocols in the country's top-producing province of Riau after a surge in infections in the area, an official at the industry body said.

An adult male orangutan has been released into an Indonesian national park by conservationists and the government after he was caught eating a villager's coconut plants on Borneo island.

Resty Woro Yuniar – The establishment of a high-level dialogue between Indonesia and China will bring the two countries closer together, but the South China Sea will remain a stumbling block in their relationship, foreign policy experts have said.

Tonggo Simangunsong – In 1982, Jusup Jhonny Rianto subscribed to an Indonesian queer zine called Gaya Hidup Ceria (Happy Lifestyle). "It was like a wind from heaven," Jusup, now 62, told VICE World News.

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – The Nemangkawi task force – a joint military and police force under a specific task in Papua – announced the arrest of Manuel Metemko on Thursday. The security forces claim the aforementioned individual is responsible for spreading false information, hoaxes, provocations, and hatred messages in Papua.

The true mammoth task of vaccinating Indonesia's entire eligible population against COVID-19 is set to begin in a few weeks, with the Health Ministry announcing that nationwide rollout of the vaccine to the general population will begin by early July at the latest.

Indonesia has been bracing for an expected surge in COVID-19 cases following the Eid holiday in mid-May, and anyone hoping for some positivity might be glad to learn that, according to officials, this year is not as bad as last year. At least on the national level.

The Witness and Protection Agency (LPSK) says it's offering legal protection to an alleged sexual harassment victim, who publicly came forward this week to say she was assaulted by a celebrity.

Vincent Fabian Thomas, Jakarta – National carrier Garuda Indonesia has grounded two thirds of its fleet, citing leasing issues and maintenance needs.

Garuda wrote in a statement filed with the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) on Wednesday that it was only operating 53 airplanes of the 142 in its fleet.

The United Liberation Movement of West Papua has accused Indonesian "colonial forces" of a new massacre with the killing of three civilians, "adding to the hundreds of thousands of West Papuans killed during six decades of occupation".

Chris Barrett, Singapore – Australia risks Indonesia sliding further into the orbit of China amid an absence of face-to-face diplomacy with its nearest and biggest neighbours in south-east Asia during the pandemic.

Yudha Baskoro, Jakarta – School bells finally have rung once again as the Jakarta Education Agency kicked off the second phase of school reopening on Wednesday.

Bayu Marhaenjati, Irawati D. Astuti, Jakarta – At least 20 outlets of American fast food chain McDonald's in Jakarta were ordered to close temporarily on Wednesday due to a mad rush for a special menu that took a theme from South Korean boy band BTS.

Adam Prireza, Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court has again postponed the reading of the verdict of the citizen lawsuit related to air pollution in the capital city. The verdict hearing was supposed to take place today, June 10, 2021.

Caesar Akbar, Jakarta – The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) responded to the government's plan to impose a value-added tax (PPN) for staple food or locally known sembako. YLKI regarded the plan as inhuman.

Adam Prireza, Jakarta – Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) announced on Thursday that they managed to collect Rp1.1 billion-worth of health protocol violation fines from January 10 up to June 9, 2021.

Caesar Akbar, Bisnis, Jakarta – The Indonesian Traditional Market Traders Association (IKAPPI) voiced its protest against the government's plan to impose added-value tax (PPN) on sembako or staple foods and calls for a stop on the potentially put them out of business.

Antara, Jakarta – Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) head researcher, Felippa Ann Amanta, assessed the effects of the government plan upon imposing added-value tax (PPN) on staple foods (sembako) and how it affects food security.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – An Indonesian court has upheld a landmark 2017 ruling that all plantation data and maps in the country must be made publicly available – a ruling that the government continues to defy.

SM Said, Jayapura – The Nemangkawi Cyber Ops Task Force have arrested the owner of a Facebook account in the name of Manuel Metemko for allegedly spreading fake information or hoaxes and inciting hatred or ethnic, religious, racial and inter-group (SARA) hostility between individuals or social groups.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has recorded that 938 demonstrators have been arrested on the grounds of violating health protocols since the corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic began early last year.

Kontras also found 300 cases of alleged violence suffered by demonstrators protesting during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Konradus Epa, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has agreed to revise four articles in a controversial cyberlaw that church and rights groups say is repressive and open to abuse.

Jakarta (Agencies) – Indonesia on Wednesday reported 7,725 new coronavirus infections, the highest daily number since Feb. 26, bringing the total number of cases to 1.87 million, data from the country's COVID-19 taskforce showed.

The task force also reported 170 people died from COVID-19 on Wednesday, taking the total to 52,162.

Eisya A. Eloksari, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has announced that the Greater Jakarta LRT is on track to be fully operational by June 2022, a full month earlier than originally scheduled.

Jakarta has become the first Indonesian province to begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults, as the capital seeks to boost vaccination coverage.

Indonesians may soon be encouraged to spend weeks at a local tourism destination in between COVID-19 jabs, with the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry preparing a domestic vaccine tourism package to boost the ailing industry.

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said the program could be launched imminently.

Rebecca Ratcliffe and Johanes Hutabarat in Jakarta – A blanket of thick, snow-like foam covers the surface of a canal in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta. The froth has exuded from the waters of the east flood canal in Marunda repeatedly over recent years, usually in the rainy season.

Sofie Arjon Schutte – Over the last month, an administrative tug of war has gripped the anti-corruption community in Indonesia – and beyond. The dismantling of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has reached a decisive point: the sudden, some say orchestrated, dismissal of some of its most dedicated employees.

Max Lane – The rapprochement of Jokowi and Prabowo has resulted in the unusual absence of a polarising rivalry among the main political parties. Nor have there been fundamental differences among parties over major policy questions. Instead, their manoeuvres have been concerned with positioning their choice of presidential candidates for the 2024 elections.

A. Malik Ibrahim/Suharto, Gresik, JE Java – Five people lost their lives, while several others sustained injuries during an explosion at a factory in Gresik District, East Java Province, on Tuesday.

Katharina R. Lestari, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has decided to reopen all schools for the upcoming academic year starting in July under strict conditions despite the Covid-19 situation remaining dire.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin told reporters on June 7 that face-to-face learning "must be held, but with extra precautions."

Global media organisations sent a joint letter to Indonesia's minister of Communication and Information Technology urging him to repeal Ministerial Regulation 5/2020 (MR5) that enables companies to monitor content. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) urge the government to repeal the MR5 regulation.

A religious figure in Bali has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison after he was found guilty of sexual assault.

The convict, a 38-year-old man named I Wayan Mahardika, was found guilty of violating Article 289 in Indonesia's criminal code (KUHP) on sexual assault yesterday.

Andi Firdaus/Suharto, Jakarta – The World Health Organization (WHO) commended Indonesian President Joko Widodo's commitment to expediting and optimizing the national vaccination program as part of the endeavors to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Lempp, Jakarta – The general recovery of business activity in Indonesia has done little so far to reduce credit risks at companies under financial pressure, according to S&P Global Ratings.