Yohannes Tohap, Jakarta – More than 6 million Jakarta residents have been affected by acute respiratory infections linked to worsening air pollution in the capital, according to Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq on Wednesday.

Annisa Febiola, Jakarta – Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman said Indonesians suffer losses amounting to Rp99.35 trillion due to adulterated rice circulating in the markets. This was revealed by Amran during a working meeting with the House of Representatives' Commission IV, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar said Indonesia has become the largest contributor to the mortality rate of Hajj pilgrims during the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage. He mentioned that the number of Indonesians who passed away in Saudi Arabia reached 447.

Jakarta – Corruption and political dynasties are two sides of the same coin. Bobby Nasution, son-in-law of former president Joko Widodo, is the latest example of this. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) plans to question the North Sumatra Governor in relation to alleged bribery in infrastructure projects that has embroiled his subordinate.

Jakarta – The fact that the name of incumbent Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto, a political heavyweight with vast connections, was mentioned as one of potential candidates for ambassador to the United States, led many to believe that the administration of President Prabowo Subianto would soon correct past mistakes.

Antara, Mentawai, West Sumatra – Ten people are missing after a boat carrying local councilors and government employees capsized in the Sipora Strait, off the Mentawai Islands in West Sumatra, during bad weather.

Sora Park, Caroline Fisher and Lilik Mardjianto, 360info/Canberra – Indonesians are increasingly losing trust in the news with more than 60 percent reporting they do not trust or feel ambivalent to the news they read or watch. Further, social media use continues to grow while there has been a rapid shift away from television, print and online sources.

Ilham Oktafian, Chairul Fikri, Jakarta – Calls are growing for a full and transparent investigation into the mysterious death of a 39-year-old Indonesian diplomat, Arya Daru Pangayunan, who was found dead in his boarding room in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on July 8.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Health policy observer and Director of the Postgraduate Program at YARSI University, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, welcomed the Indonesian government's decision to permit foreign hospitals to open branches in the country.

However, he stressed that the policy must be carefully implemented to truly enhance public health outcomes.

M. Raihan Muzzaki, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) claimed to have returned state losses from the investigation into corruption cases amounting to 50 percent of the total budget. KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that the recovery took place over the last three years.

Jakarta – Rescuers found alive on Tuesday 11 people missing at sea who had survived a boat capsize in bad weather by swimming for at least six hours to the nearest island, officials said.

Usman Hamid – The recent move by Indonesia's Attorney General's Office (AGO) to sign a wiretapping pact with four local major telecommunications operators has put around 350 million cellular users at much greater risk of being watched by the government.

Musmaulana – The North Maluku Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has condemned the actions and methods used by intelligence officers suspected of being from the North Maluku Regional Police (Polda) paramilitary Mobile Brigade (Brimob).

Antara, Paris – President Prabowo Subianto arrived in Paris on Sunday evening to attend France's Bastille Day military parade as an official guest of honour, following an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron.

Marchio Gorbiano, Jakarta – The government's plans to issue new history books have sparked fears that mention of deadly riots in 1998 targeting mostly ethnic Chinese in the country will be scrubbed from the text.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar stated that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto asked his officials not to believe in capitalism during a meeting.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – French President Emmanuel Macron recently told his military men to partner with Indonesia, a day prior to President Prabowo Subianto's debut at the Bastille Day parade.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia's external debt stood at $435.6 billion as of May 2025, marking a 6.8 percent increase from the same period last year, according to Bank Indonesia. However, the growth pace has moderated compared to previous months.

Adrian Perkasa (The Conversation) – The government's plan to rewrite its official national history was initially met with positive responses, particularly for its goal of better serving the younger generations.

Brussels – EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday announced a "political agreement" to conclude a long-awaited free trade deal, as US leader Donald Trump upends global commerce.

Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Industrial estate managers say United States import tariffs and anti-China trade policies are a burden on their business, forcing them to resort to operational and regulatory measures, as well as diversification, to ensure their global competitiveness.

Rizky Hidayatullah, Jakarta – The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) is coordinating intensively regarding the salvage operation of the wreckage of the Tunu Pratama Jaya passenger motor vessel, which sank in the Bali Strait.

This effort is part of the ongoing phase of the search operation for victims who remain missing following the maritime accident.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) warned that US plans to impose a 32 percent tariff on Indonesian goods could trigger mass layoffs, rupiah volatility, and other major economic challenges if Jakarta fails to secure a deal with Washington.

Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that wildfires swept through Sumatra overnight, until Monday morning, July 14, 2025.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Sukma N Loppies, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia issued a report on Monday July 14 which details attacks on human rights defenders that have occurred on a massive scale in the first half of 2025.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition has strongly condemned the legislation process related to changes or revisions to the Criminal Procedure Code (RKUHAP) which are still considered problematic, both in terms of substance and the process its preparation.

More than 100 human rights defenders experienced various forms of attacks in the first half of 2025 said Amnesty International Indonesia today in Jakarta. Between January and June 2025, Amnesty International noted that at least 104 human rights defenders became victims of attacks recorded in 54 cases.

Heru Andriyanto, Brussels – The European Union has granted multi-entry visa privileges to Indonesian nationals visiting the region for a second time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto in Brussels on Sunday.

Idil Syawfi, Parahyangan (Catholic University Bandung) – In recent years, Indonesia has seen a nominal increase in its defense budget, but the rise is negligible in a context that is seeing the start of a new global arms race.

Dian Rahma Fika, Jakarta – Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan criticized the absence of the Indonesian President in United Nations (UN) forums in recent years. Anies voiced this during his inaugural national leadership meeting of the people's organization Gerakan Rakyat.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence Against Women or Komnas Perempuan has condemned two recent incidents of religious intolerance.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – Indonesia currently has a fund to aid victims, a source of state compensation for victims of sexual violence. This fund is regulated in Government Regulation Number 29 of 2025 concerning the Victim Assistance Fund for Sexual Violence Crime (DBK-TPKS) signed by President Prabowo Subianto.

Martin Bagya Kertiyasa, Heru Andriyanto, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto arrived in Brussels on Saturday for high-level talks with European Union leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as Indonesia pushes to finalize a landmark trade deal aimed at eliminating tariffs on its exports to the bloc.

Ricki Putra Harahap, Algi M Gifari, Jakarta – Indonesia is set to launch its ambitious Sekolah Rakyat (People's Schools) program on Monday, offering free boarding school education to children from the nation's poorest households

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Chairperson of the House of Representatives Commission III, Habiburokhman, stated that parliament is planning to draft a special law dedicated to wiretapping.

Indah Handayani, Jakarta – The National Police announced on Saturday that 26 premium rice brands are under investigation for alleged mislabeling and price gouging, following a report from Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for the Renewal of the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) has compiled a counter draft of the Draft KUHAP (RUU KUHAP) as a form of resistance to the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government's version of the RUU KUHAP.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Discussions are ongoing in the House of Representatives (DPR) regarding the revision of Law No. 8 of 1981 concerning Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP). On Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the DPR Law Commission held its inaugural working meeting with the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of State Secretariat.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Head of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, has proposed an additional budget of Rp118 trillion for next year's free nutritious meals (MBG) program. This is in addition to the agency's indicative budget of Rp217 trillion already allocated for 2026.

Jakarta – The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) is in the final stage of its investigation into the alleged monopoly over the setting of online lending interest rates by digital finance companies.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has yet to declare whether the Independence Day ceremony on August 17 will again be held at Garuda Palace in Nusantara Capital City (IKN) or remain at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The latest survey conducted by Bank Indonesia (BI) reveals that the Job Availability Index (IKLK) for June 2025 has fallen into a pessimistic zone, with a score below 100. The decline has continued since May 2025.

According to BI, the IKLK stood at 95.7 in May, already reflecting pessimism. In April, the index was still at 106.1.

Fuad Iqbal Abdullah, Bulungan, North Kalimantan – Four policemen, including a mid-ranking officer heading an anti-narcotics unit, have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in a cross-border drug syndicate operating near the Indonesian-Malaysian border, authorities said on Thursday.

Stefani Wijaya, Jakarta – Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) had a blunt message for local government officials this week: be careful what you do on your phones – especially if it involves sensitive or inappropriate content.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Ricki Putra Harahap, Jakarta – The government will remove social aid recipients found to have misused their funds for online gambling or terrorism financing, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said on Friday, following a shocking revelation by the country's financial intelligence agency.

Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office searched the office of tech giant GoTo Gojek Tokopedia (GOTO) in Jakarta as part of its investigation into alleged corruption in the procurement of Chromebook laptops by the (then) Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The government has begun rolling out free health screenings for approximately 53 million students nationwide, as part of a broader initiative to provide screenings for all citizens to promote early disease detection and improve public health.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's ambition to elevate Indonesia's global influence, partly through extensive international travel, mirrors the approach of the second president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid. However, Prabowo should consider that Gus Dur's significant diplomatic achievements abroad ultimately had limited impact domestically.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The United Nations Special Rapporteur for the rights of indigenous peoples, Albert Kwokwo Barume, visited Poco Leok, Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT), Indonesia, on July 7, 2025.

Jakarta – Even as Indonesia's lead negotiator intensified lobbying efforts for a lowering of America's reciprocal tariffs this week, analysts remain sceptical that talks will make headway even if Jakarta attempts to leverage the nation's rich mineral resources as a bargaining chip.