A couple poses for wedding photos on Feb. 11, 2025, outside the Forbidden City in Beijing. China in 2024 saw a one-fifth decline in marriages, the latest sign of persistent demographic challenges as Beijing works to encourage births despite an uncertain economic outlook for young families.

Emerging economies must get rich before they get old

Within a generation or two, many emerging economies will likely face the same demographic problems plaguing their developed-country counterparts – without the financial resources needed to cushion the blow.

1 month ago

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The ESG drive is virtually dead in the US. What about in Indonesia?

The US appears to have entirely dropped out of the race toward sustainability while Indonesia still has challenges, particularly as regards regulatory maintenance and strengthening to support ESG compliance in high-risk and land-related sectors, not least to attract serious investors to Danantara. ...

1 month ago

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Celebrating Ireland-Indonesia bonds on St. Patrick’s Day

A message from the Irish ambassador to Indonesia on bilateral ties and cooperation for global peace and stability, on the occasion of St. Patrick's Day ...

1 month ago

The Latest

Stock illustration of deepfake technology

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The crucial question in the age of AI: Are you human?

With the advent of the AI era, governments around the world, including in Indonesia, need to step up their policymaking to protect people from others that might wield the technology as a weapon of manipulation and disruption instead of a tool for development and prosperity.

1 month ago

Low clouds pass on Oct. 25, 2024, over the Tujuh Bukit gold mine operated by PT Merdeka Copper Gold subsidiary PT Bumi Suksesindo in Banyuangi, East Java.

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The planned gold royalty hike could discourage investment

Indonesia's gold royalty rate is higher than that of most other jurisdictions and is generally perceived as regressive, so the government needs to consider at least four possible actions to maintain competitiveness and encourage investment while boosting revenue.

1 month ago

Call to action: Plastic trash and non-organic waste cover corals in the waters of Nusa Dua, Bali, threatening the marine ecosystem in the area.

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Empty promises won’t save marine ecosystems

Protecting our oceans requires strong government policies backed by sustained funding for conservation and enforcement.

1 month ago

A city downstream: A flooded residential area following heavy rains is seen from above on March 4 in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta.

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Where is megapolitan Jakarta heading with its floods?

Sporadic, partial and incidental efforts implemented so far are insufficient to address the issue.

1 month ago

Gerindra Party chair and President Prabowo Subianto (left) walks with former president Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (second right)on Feb. 15, 2025, during the party's 17th anniversary celebration ceremony at the Sentul International Convention Center in Bogor, West Java.

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Prabowo’s test of governing in Jokowi’s absence

Jokowi's influence may not be institutional, but it is politically alive as long as leaders like Prabowo continue to invoke his name.

1 month ago

Regional leaders march in formation on Feb. 27, 2025, during a week-long glamping retreat at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java.

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Leadership in uncertainty: Bridging knowledge-doing gap with resilience, adaptability

Resilient leaders invest in continuous learning, prioritize mental and physical well-being and cultivate a growth mindset.

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Trial and error: Students attend a lecture at Sebelas Maret University (UNS) in Surakarta, Central Java, on April 7, 2021, during a trial of in-person learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Academia

Journal indexation: The misconception of guaranteed quality

Journal indexation cannot be the only appraisal of research performance. The evaluation system must prioritize impact-focused indicators.

1 month ago

Former members of Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) perform Asr (afternoon) prayers on the sidelines of an event held to declare the disbandment of the terrorist group on Dec. 21, 2024, at the Convention Hall of the Tirtonadi terminal in Surakarta, Central Java. Some 1,200 former JI members from the greater Surakarta area, as well as 6,800 members from other parts of the country participated in the event online, declared their readiness to rejoin the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. They also expressed their commitment to helping safeguard peace and development in the country.

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JI: The art of disbandment and the politics of 'wait-and-see'

Indonesia’s legal system does not prohibit former terrorists from running for office, and some JI members have already tried to enter local politics.

1 month ago

A farmer spreads fertilizer on his paddy field on Aug. 22, 2022, in Lamteuba, Aceh.

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Reframing economic security: Indonesia’s strategic path forward

Where great powers wield economic security as offense, middle powers view it as defense.

1 month ago

The United Nations Security Council votes on a resolution allowing Palestinian UN membership at UN headquarters in New York, on April 18, 2024, during a meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

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Why global governance is failing

Eight decades after the United Nations was established to prevent another world war and manage conflicts through diplomacy rather than violence, humanity finds itself paralyzed in the face of new planetary-scale disasters.

1 month ago

An eye doctor examines a patient during a free public health screening event on March 27, 2024, in Dangin Puri Kauh village, Denpasar, Bali.

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Tax trap for medical doctors: A crisis in fairness

The taxation system imposed on Indonesian doctors is not only burdensome, but also contains structural anomalies that contradict the principles of tax fairness.

1 month ago

Clean electricity: The floating panels of a solar power plant are seen from above on Sept. 26, 2023, at Cirata Dam in Purwakarta regency, West Java.

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The key to universal energy access is green

Distributed renewable energy technologies offer a promising solution, providing underserved communities with access to electricity while simultaneously decarbonizing grids.

1 month ago

Under junta rule: Women walk past security barricades on Oct. 24, 2024, on a road in Mandalay, Myanmar.

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Myanmar’s military rule is crippling hope for young people like never before

Over the past year, Myanmar’s military junta has been enforcing mandatory conscription, targeting men and women of working age.

1 month ago

Looking ahead: Government employees take part in a ceremony to mark the opening of the work year on Jan. 2, 2024, at Tegar Beriman Square in Cibinong, Bogor regency, West Java.

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Budget efficiency as opportunity for bureaucratic transformation

Improving civil servant capabilities through reskilling and upskilling becomes key to creating an adaptive and inclusive bureaucracy.

1 month ago

Members of the Philippine National Police walk outside the Villamor air base where former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is being held after being arrested, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on March 11, 2025.

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Breaking impunity: Duterte’s arrest and new chapter in Southeast Asian Justice

More than a symbolic act, Duterte’s arrest signals the beginning of a new era in which no leader, regardless of domestic popularity or political influence, can evade accountability.

1 month ago

People walk past the United Nations headquarters in New York on March 3, 2023.

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Will the United Nations survive Trump 2.0?

Actions by the US show that the Trump administration is not merely unhappy with certain international institutions. Rather, it is fundamentally opposed to any multilateral framework that even suggests equality among countries.

1 month ago

Schoolchildren make their way to school on Oct. 14, 2019, as haze from forest fires blankets Palembang. Forest fires across Indonesia sometimes send air quality levels across Southeast Asia plummeting as they belch out emissions that aggravate global warming.

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Education first, prosperity follows: A thoughtful reflection on priorities

While the free nutritious meal program can alleviate hunger and malnutrition, it does not equip individuals with the skills necessary to escape poverty in the long run..

1 month ago

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (left) and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya leave after a joint press conference following their meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Jan. 13, 2025.

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Asian allies on edge: Japan and South Korea brace for uncertainty

Trump’s administration hesitates to mediate between Japan and South Korea, but sustained diplomacy is crucial to maintaining trilateral unity.

1 month ago

A man unloads kernels of oil palm fruit from a pickup truck to sell at a market on July 10, 2024, in Sepaku, East Kalimantan.

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International businesses can empower Indonesia's smallholder farmers

The international businesses and investors that profit from the commodities trade have a role to play in upskilling and strengthening Indonesia’s farmers.

1 month ago

United States President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 28, 2025.

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The banality of the Ukrainian peace conference: A lesson for ASEAN

ASEAN should internalize the US acts of betrayal as a cautionary tale: Great powers will never uphold alliances beyond their utility.

1 month ago

Students hold a rally titled Indonesia Gelap (Dark Indonesia) to oppose budget-cutting policies by President Prabowo Subianto on Feb. 17 in Jakarta.

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Discourse: A thin-skinned government is a danger to all

This is a government that is very thin-skinned, and does not understand the limitation of executive power. The government is on a path that is really alarming.

1 month ago

Afghan women stage a protest for their rights at a beauty salon in the Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul on July 19, 2023.

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Let Afghan women lead

Rather than simply admire their courage or sympathize with their plight, the international community must offer them support, safety and a seat at the table.

1 month ago

This handout picture taken and released by the Presidential Palace on March 8, 2025 shows President Prabowo Subianto (center) visiting a flood-affected area in Bekasi, West Java.

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Govern-fluencers: How Prabowo's government shapes public opinion

While social media narratives continue to be carefully orchestrated, real-life priorities raise serious concerns.

1 month ago

United States President Donald Trump speaks during an address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2025.

Academia

Trump’s policies leave oil executives second-guessing

CERAWeek conference is set to be dominated by talk of Trump's tariffs, sanctions and aggressive drive to end the war in Ukraine, which have together created turmoil in financial markets and clouded the outlook for the global economy and energy prices.

1 month ago

President Prabowo Subianto (left) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2024.

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China’s Two Sessions: What I’ve learned and why it matters for Indonesia

China is charting a course toward deeper global integration, innovation and sustainable growth, a path where Indonesia stands as a natural partner.

1 month ago

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati prepares to present the state budget on Jan. 2, 2024 at the ministry in Jakarta.

Academia

Budget efficiency contrast in ASEAN: Tales from Indonesia and Vietnam

The Indonesian government is carrying out massive budget efficiencies. At almost the same time, Vietnam is also doing the same thing. What is the difference between the two?

1 month ago