Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Eight rental villas and several shophouses were swept away by a flash flood in the Landak River tourist area in North Sumatra's Langkat regency early on Wednesday.

Jakarta – The Cirebon Health Agency had ordered nine drug stores, clinics and medical supply stores belonging to the Pasuketan group to suspend operations after 19 of its employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Indonesia's Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, with the senior member of President Joko Widodo's cabinet eager to solidify Indonesia-US ties ahead of the latter's upcoming transition of power.

After getting nothing but a light slap on the wrist over recent crowded events, hardline Islamic groups say they are going to defy Jakarta's crowd ban and press ahead with a planned mass rally if Indonesia goes ahead with its regional elections in December, because apparently the best way to correct a wrong is with another wrong.

Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – The weekly trend of newly coronavirus cases has been moving to "unpleasant direction" with an unprecedented growth in the past week, the National Covid-19 Task Force has said.The surge has been growing at more than twice the rate in the previous weeks.

Eva Fitriani, Jakarta – The European Commission has terminated an anti-dumping probe into hot-rolled stainless steel from Indonesia after the European steel lobby withdrew their complaints, the Indonesian Trade Ministry said on Tuesday.

Jakarta – The Ministry of Health together with the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI) – along with support from UNICEF and WHO – held a national survey from September 19 to September 30, 2020, in an attempt to understand the public's view and perception regarding the Covid-19 vaccination.

Antara, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said the government continued to disseminate the Covid-19 vaccine to the public, hoping that many Indonesian citizens would be willing to get injected.

Antara, Jakarta – Vice President Ma'ruf Amin suggested the National Commission on Violence against Women or Komnas Perempuan to develop a new strategy by involving local governments to overcome and suppress cases of assaults against women.

Jakarta – National COVID-19 spokesman Wiku Adisasmito has asked the government to build temporary shelters that comply with COVID-19 health protocols to prepare for possible natural disasters.

Police arrested 54 participants of a public hearing organised by the Papuan People's Council (MPR) at the Valentine Hotel in Merauke regency in Papua on the afternoon of Tuesday November 17.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The Environment and Forestry Ministry has dismissed concerns from environmentalists over the risks of massive deforestation after the ministry passed a regulation allowing forests to be converted into farmland to support the government's food estate program.

Jakarta – Malaysian authorities along with officials from the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching, Sarawak, rescued eight Indonesian migrant workers who were held captive by their recruiting agency last week.

Mardika Parama, Jakarta – Tourism industry losses due to the pandemic have exceeded Rp 100 trillion (US$7.1 billion), a business association has stated.

Jakarta – The authorities need to enforce stricter sanctions against people who violate health protocols following the rapidly increasing daily COVID-19 cases in the nation, experts have warned.

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Just a week after returning from exile in Saudi Arabia, an Indonesian Islamist leader is already creating a stir by holding mass gatherings of Muslims despite the country's coronavirus crisis.

Rosa Folia – Conservative lawmakers in Muslim-majority Indonesia have renewed efforts to pass a sweeping alcohol ban that could see drinkers jailed for up to three years, but the proposal has faced widespread backlash as the country tries to turbocharge its pandemic-ravaged economy.

No, Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab being able to hold events attracting huge crowds last week does not mean we get a free pass to violate health protocols in Jakarta, and that point has been made clear ahead of Christmas and the New Year.

Triyan Pangastuti, Jakarta – Contemporary Amperex Technology, or CATL, a battery manufacturer from China, has decided to invest $5.1 billion to build a manufacturing plant for electric vehicle batteries in Indonesia, the country's top investment official said on Monday.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The latest regulation issued by the Environment and Forestry Ministry that allows forests to be converted into farmland to support the government's food estate program has sparked concerns of potential massive deforestation, according to the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi).

Heru Samosir and Dirga Ardiansa – Proposed revisions to Indonesia's 2017 Election Law are being closely watched by civil society groups.

Mardika Parama, Jakarta – The Public Works and Housing Ministry is aiming to start the bidding process of nine toll road sections, with a combined length of 350 kilometers and combined investment of around Rp 142.5 trillion (US$10 billion), by year-end, a minister has said.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has pushed for the government to legally process the military member suspected to be behind the death of Papuan pastor Yeremia Zanambani in order to demonstrate its commitment to justice to the victim's family and the Papuan people.

Arya Dipa, Bandung – Carmaker Hyundai Motor Asia-Pacific is planning to start manufacturing electric cars in West Java by 2022, as Indonesia plans to produce batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), the company's vice president announced on Monday.

Jakarta – National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis appointed former East Java Police chief Insp. Gen M. Fadil Imran as the new Jakarta Police chief on Monday, the same day as the removal of his predecessor Insp. Gen. Nana Sudjana from his position amid a brouhaha centering on the mass gatherings held by the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) over the weekend.

Jakarta – Visit Wonderful Indonesia (VIWI) Board, an umbrella organization for 18 tourism associations, has asked Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan not to extend public restrictions aimed at bringing down coronavirus infections, which are slated to end on Nov. 22.

Sania Mashabi, Jakarta – The Institute of Research, Education and Information of Social and Economic Affairs (LP3ES) says that democracy in Indonesia is experiencing a retreat, which had already been predicted by the LP3ES in its democratic outlook report in late 2019.

Jakarta – Hundreds of workers and students from the Labour Movement with the People (Gebrak) began moving off from the House of Representatives (DPR) parliamentary complex in Jakarta to the offices of the Ministry of Education and Culture on Tuesday November 17.

Jakarta – Hundreds of workers from the Labour Movement with the People (Gebrak) have begun packing the area near the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Jakarta in a follow up action demanding the cancelation of the recently enacted Law Number 11/2020 on Job Creation.

Adrian Wail Akhlas, Jakarta – Foreign debt has risen in the third quarter of the year, due to the government's samurai bond issuances and borrowed funds from multilateral organizations to finance coronavirus relief packages and economic stimulus toward recovery, according to Bank Indonesia (BI) data on Monday.

Jakarta – National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis issued on Monday a telegram to uphold health protocols to prevent the further transmission of COVID-19, stipulating sanctions against health violators amid mass gatherings held by the Islam Defenders Group (FPI).

Andita Rahma, Jakarta – The Indonesian Anti-terror squad Densus 88 and the Tinombala Task Force shot dead two suspected terrorists, W a.k.a. AAM and AA a.k.a. Azis in Parigi Moutung Regency, Central Sulawesi. The two men were members of the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terrorist network.

Francisca Christy Rosana, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan met with representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in the United States, Monday, November 16, 2020. In the meeting, Luhut discussed the Omnibus Law on Job Creation, among others.

Imam Hamdi, Jakarta – The Jakarta Students Federation (Fijar) in Tuesday's demonstration in front of the Education and Culture Ministry headquarters demanded free education be prioritized over commercialized-education.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has made assurances that his administration would not use the planned procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines for any political and economic interests.

"There is absolutely no politics. Nor are there any economic interests," the President said during a special interview with Kompas TV on Monday.

The National Police has removed Jakarta Metro Police Chief Nana Sudjana from his post in what was said to be a direct consequence of authorities' failure to prevent a huge turnout to Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab's homecoming last week.

James Massola and Amilia Rosa – Bali's hoteliers are warning a proposed Indonesia-wide booze ban would scare off Aussie tourists and stop a post-coronavirus economic recovery dead in its tracks.

Indonesia may have reported its record number of daily cases just a few days ago, but the crowds on Bali's beaches over the weekend may have you believe that COVID-19 in this part of the world is well under control, despite the grim reality.

Roland Rajah – Australia is lending A$1.5 billion to Indonesia to help it get through the economic crisis unleashed by Covid-19. This is welcome news and another sign of Australia stepping up to assist key partners in the region during an extraordinary global crisis.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) has slapped Indonesia's controversial cleric Rizieq Shihab with a 50 million rupiah (S$4,735) fine after finding the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader guilty of disregarding Covid-19 health protocol when organising a public event that attracted large crowds over the weekend.

Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman, Jakarta – The government plans to develop food barns and facilitate collaboration between state-owned and Jakarta-owned enterprises to secure rice stocks amid food security challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has come under fire for allowing a massive wedding party to take place over the weekend amid tight social distancing rules, where such gatherings in the capital – a coronavirus red zone – should have been prevented in the first place.

Jakarta – Demonstrators from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) have protested the police's actions in blocking them when they wanted to hold a rally at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday November 16. They have experienced the same problem during demonstrations in Papua.

Achmad Zulfikar Fazli, Jakarta – The Jakarta Islamic State University Social and Islamic Studies Centre (PPIM UIN) has released the results of the latest research on religious trends on social media. The principle finding of the research is the domination of conservative religious thinking and narratives on social media, particularly on Twitter.

Jakarta – National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis removed Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen Nana Sudjana and West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Rudy Sufahradi Novianti from their positions on Monday for their recent failure to enforce coronavirus health protocols.

Rizki Fachriansyah, Jakarta – Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD has called on the Jakarta administration to further enforce existing health protocols amid concerns of a possible spike in COVID-19 cases, especially in the wake of controversial mass gatherings held by the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) over the weekend.

Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – The authorities should boost efforts to raise local communities' preparedness in the face of disaster warnings and weather signals so as to improve the country's tsunami-mitigation measures, in addition to improving technology for an effective early warning system, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has said.

Primus Dorimulu, Farouk Arnaz, Dion Bisara, Jakarta – When it came to choosing between dispersing Muslim hardliners' gathering with force or spending taxpayers' money to make sure they were complying with health protocol, the government would pick the latter.

Joseph Marshan and Ruth Nikijuluw – The fourth industrial revolution, or 'Industry 4.0', will involve increasing automation, advanced technology and promises to create more jobs in science, tech, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions.

Riska Rahman, Jakarta – Indonesian telecommunications firms are expected to reap long-term benefits from the coronavirus health crisis due to increasing demand for mobile data and internet connectivity, say analysts.