Agencies, Jakarta – Indonesia, fresh off concluding a defence pact with Washington and an oil deal with Russia, has also agreed to boost defence industry cooperation with France, Jakarta said Wednesday after the countries' presidents met in Paris.

Adlu Raharusun, Manokwari – The Papua Special Autonomy Development Acceleration Board (BP3OKP) has received complaints from residents regarding alleged contamination of well water and air pollution linked to the Free Nutritious Meal Program (Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG) kitchen, Ash Sidiq Prafi Mulya, located on Jalan Gunung Salju, Amban, Manokwari.

Isabel Esterman – In Kapuas Hulu district in Indonesia's West Kalimantan province, a pilot program is attempting to change how people living in Borneo perceive and engage with wildlife and wildlife conservation.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesian communities have donated at least Rp 9 billion (around $525,000) to the Iranian embassy-run donation drive so far, although the money is only a tiny fraction of the war losses that Tehran suffered.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that as Indonesia enters the second quarter of 2026, the nation's economy remains in a strong position. Additionally, he claimed a series of economic indicators has improved, including a decrease in the unemployment rate.

Antara, Jakarta – The case of sexual harassment against students and lecturers at the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia (UI), is a wake-up call, the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) claims.

Mei Leandha, Jakarta – Members of the NasDem Party in North Sumatra gathered at the party's regional office in Medan on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, to voice their aspirations regarding the content and cover of this week's Tempo Magazine.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf admitted to being in a tight spot as aircraft fuel prices surged ahead of the 2026 Hajj, or 1447 Hijri. According to Irfan, the past ten days were crucial as Garuda Indonesia and Saudia Airlines, the carriers serving the pilgrimage, suddenly requested additional fees.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – Indonesia's proposal to introduce a fast-track Hajj booking system based on a direct allocation model has drawn criticism from lawmakers, prompting the government to clarify that the idea remains at an early, exploratory stage.

Antara, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung is preparing a special meeting with city officials to tackle the growing population of invasive "janitor fish," which authorities say are disrupting the capital's aquatic ecosystems.

Maudey Khalisha, Jakarta – The automotive industry is facing mounting supply chain risks due to global plastic shortage, driven by rising petrochemical feedstock prices and logistics disruptions.

Ni Made Tasyarani, Jakarta – Local airlines have welcomed the government's move to allow airfare to increase up to 13 percent amid surging jet fuel (avtur) prices following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. However, experts warned that airlines need to be prepared for weaker demand following the policy.

Ilham Oktafian, Jakarta – Indonesia will absorb a sharp increase in Hajj costs for 2026, as surging global oil prices and heightened geopolitical risks in the Middle East drive up travel expenses for the world's largest Muslim pilgrimage.

Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – Four Chinese automakers have broken into Indonesia's top 10 car sales rankings in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting the growing presence of Chinese brands in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

Agencies, Washington – US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Monday a "major" defense partnership with Indonesia following a meeting with Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin at the Pentagon.

Jakarta – PT PLN (Persero) has officially launched its Clean Energy Day campaign, a strategic initiative aimed at fostering a more efficient, eco-friendly, and sustainable work culture. The program encourages employees across Indonesia to use environmentally friendly transportation every Friday as part of efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said Indonesia is maintaining relatively high economic growth despite ongoing global challenges.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia's ambition to convert around 120 million gasoline-powered motorcycles into electric vehicles within five years is unrealistic given persistent structural challenges, an energy expert has warned.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Indonesia, through the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), has launched the nutri-level labeling system for sweetened drinks to assist the public in identifying the nutritional content of the foods they consume on a daily basis.

M. Faiz Zaki, Jakarta – The Indonesian government's free nutritious meal (MBG) program has failed to reach most vulnerable citizens, according to a study by the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios), while calling it costly.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Hundreds of Indonesia's National Democratic (NasDem) Party members flocked to Tempo's office in Palmerah, West Jakarta, on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, to protest the cover story of Tempo Magazine's latest issue.

Jakarta – A student alliance held an action in front of the Constitutional Court (MK) urging that the case of the acid attack against Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus be processed in a public court.

Jakarta – In this age of surveillance, when nearly everything can be witnessed and recorded in real time, there should be little room left for manipulating truth.

Ideally, this should strengthen law enforcement and enhance public protection. But in reality, it has also enabled oppression by disapproving parties, including the government.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) stated that Indonesia's economic growth has not led to a significant increase in labor absorption. Although the economy is growing at an annual rate of 5.39 percent, this growth is not strong enough to create jobs, especially in labor-intensive sectors.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – In February 2026, videos circulating on social media showed a mass of mining waste rushing downslope like thick mud, engulfing excavators and bulldozers within seconds as operators scrambled to escape.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – The government has doubled down on its growth target for gross domestic product, insisting that it will achieve or even exceed the figure set in the state budget despite the shock from the United States-Israel war on Iran, which has prompted the World Bank to downgrade its projection for Indonesia.

Djibril Muhammad, Jakarta – Indonesia plans to finish building the judicial and legislative complexes in its future political capital Nusantara by early 2028, as the government dismisses worries over the project's continuity.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia is accelerating efforts to reduce reliance on the US dollar by expanding the use of local currencies in cross-border transactions, with the value of such transactions surging 163% year-on-year in early 2026.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – The Indonesian government said Monday that it had not officially reached a deal with the US on letting American military planes easily fly over its airspace.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – Indonesia's Financial Services Authority (OJK) says a significant share of the country's healthcare spending is still borne directly by households, highlighting gaps in insurance coverage.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto proposed the merger of NasDem Party and Gerindra Party when receiving NasDem Chair Surya Paloh at his residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, in February 2026.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – Demands are mounting for the immediate formation of an Independent Joint Fact-Finding Team (TGPF) in the attempted premeditated murder case of human rights activist Andrie Yunus, nearly a month after he was attacked with acid.

Dian Rahma Fika Alnina, Jakarta – Gerindra Party Deputy Chairperson Habiburokhman has criticised political scientist Saiful Mujani over his remarks suggesting possible public consolidation to pressure President Prabowo Subianto, calling the statement "worthy of criticism" and politically motivated.

Baharudin Al Farisi, Danu Damarjati, Jakarta – As many as 53 percent of respondents to an Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) poll believe that the public is always or often afraid to discuss politics.

Budiman, Lebak, Banten – Two women in Banten province have been named suspects in a blasphemy case following the circulation of a viral video showing one of them stepping on a copy of the Quran, a police spokesperson said on Sunday.

The suspects have been identified only by their initials, NL and MT.

Adrial Akbar, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition in Solidarity with Andrie Yunus held an action to commemorate the anniversary of 30 days since the acid attack on Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) activist Andrie Yunus.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has been recorded frequently using event organizer (EO) services throughout its 2025 activities, with a total procurement budget reaching Rp113.9 billion.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has directed the Attorney General's Office to prosecute unruly and uncontrollable businesspeople. According to him, those who prove difficult to manage and cause harm to Indonesia may be subject to criminal charges.

Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – Indonesia and Russia pledged to strengthen their bilateral ties with the signing of the Protocol of the 7th Meeting of the Working Group on Trade, Investment, and Industry (WGTII) on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that Indonesia is currently experiencing a phenomenon he referred to as the inflation of observers. Teddy pointed to the emergence of commentators who claim to be concerned over issues ranging from food security and the military to foreign policy.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – The General Chairperson of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board, Yahya Cholil Staquf, has raised questions regarding the mechanism proposed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to eliminate the hajj waiting period and implement a "ticket war" system. Yahya considered the idea to be mere discourse that has not yet been thoroughly considered.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The latest survey by Bank Indonesia (BI) indicates a decline in optimism about job availability. In March 2026, the Job Availability Index (IKLK) score was recorded at 107.8, which is a decrease from 110.7 the previous month.

Maudey Khalisha, Jakarta – Lawmakers and analysts warn that soaring jet fuel prices and a weakening rupiah, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East, could add as much as Rp 1 trillion to this year's haj pilgrimage bill.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto claimed that the Forest Area Regulation Task Force (Satgas PKH) has successfully reclaimed forest areas worth Rp370 trillion. He made this statement while attending the handover of Rp11.42 trillion from the Satgas PKH to the state treasury.

Jakarta – After several years of declining deforestation, 2025 marked a significant regression for Indonesia's environmental health as forest cover loss surged. A recent report by the environmental watchdog Auriga Nusantara revealed that over 430,000 hectares were cleared last year – a 66 percent increase from 2024.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia and the troop-contributing countries of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) "condemn in the strongest terms" the persistent attacks on UNIFIL, which resulted in the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers and the injury of several guards from other countries.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – The Indonesian Air Force fleet escorted President Prabowo Subianto on his flight to Sleman, Yogyakarta, which departed from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, to Adisutjipto Air Base, Sleman Regency, on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto urged the Indonesian Air Force to remain steadfast in its duty to safeguard the homeland. Prabowo delivered this message on the occasion of the Air Force's 80th anniversary, which fell on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

Accelerating the recognition of customary forests cannot simply be achieved by creating a task force and prolonging its mandate. This issue requires the government to muster the courage to confront the underlying problems: the task force's lack of effective authority, fragmented regulations, and clashing economic and political interests that hinder progress.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) recorded the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) at 122.9 in March 2026, a decline from the 125.2 reported in February. This marks a continued downward trend for the index, which stood at 127 in January 2026.