Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto (right) shakes hand with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer following a meeting on Dec. 23, 2025, at the USTR office in Washington, DC. Indonesia is preparing to seal a reciprocal trade agreement (ART) with the US in at the end of January next year after resolving all substantial issues in negotiations that had earlier risked stalling. `

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For Indonesia, which is deeply embedded in East Asian production networks and heavily exposed to Chinese trade and investment, a reciprocal trade agreement with the US could trigger chaotic and costly supply chain realignments.

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Undoing democratic reform

Indirect elections through local councils offer no guarantee of cleaner or cheaper politics, if they go ahead they may be composed of political party representatives who are often no less corrupt than elected officials.

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Gene editing in Indonesia: Can new biotechnology solve old agricultural problems?

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Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung (right) and his deputy Rano Karno (center) talk on May 8, 2025 with a prospective resident of low-cost rental apartments (rusunawa) Jagakarsa in South Jakarta.

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Building Jakarta from the ground up: A year under Pramono Anung and Rano Karno

Pramono Anung and Rano Karno’s first year in office focused on rebuilding Jakarta by prioritizing people and basic services.

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Personnel from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) escort Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to an armored van at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in New York City on Jan. 5, 2026, for transporting to the Daniel Patrick Moynihan US Courthouse to face federal charges including narco-terrorism and money laundering.

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Venezuela, Taiwan and the return of power politics

The US invasion of Venezuela is a worrying sign of the world to come, one that will be defined by multilayered, regional systemic conflict against which internal national strength is the only defense.

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrives at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport om Jan. 5, as he heads towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan United States Courthouse for an initial appearance to face US federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others in New York, the United States.

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The precedents to Trump's Venezuela operation

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Lokataru executive director Delpedro Marhaen gestures after attending the reading of charges on Dec. 16 at the Central Jakarta District Court. Delpedro and three other co-defendants, Muzaffar Salim, Syahdan Husein and Khariq Anhar, have been charged with incitement for allegedly posting social media content related to demonstrations in August that turned violent after a delivery driver was ran over and killed by police.

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The paradox of police reform: High approval ratings, low rule of law

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A demonstrator carries Indonesia’s national flag alongside a pirate flag from the Japanese anime One Piece, an internet symbol of protest against government policies, during a rally on Aug. 29, 2025, outside the residence of the Governor of East Java, in Surabaya.

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From print to platforms: What holds nations together now?

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This aerial photo shows people climbing debris, on Dec. 9, 2025, to cross the river on a newly built bridge, connecting Aceh and North Sumatra province, after being destroyed by flash floods along Peusangan river in Bireuen district, Aceh.

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Coordinated response key to govt’s disaster handling

History in focus: Belgian historian David Van Reybrouck, author of Revolusi: Indonesia and the Making of the Modern World, poses for a post on his official social media account.

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‘Revolusi’ returns home: David Van Reybrouck on youth, memory and the spirit of Bandung

Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti (right) talks with a student on the sidelines of the inauguration of an integrated school on Sept. 30 in Samarinda, East Kalimantan. The international-standard school integrates schools of three levels of education, namely SDN 28 state elementary school, SMPN 16 state junior high school and SMA Prestasi senior high school.

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Dignifying students key for Indonesia’s education: Education minister

Peace and reconciliation: Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf (eighth right) and Aceh wali nanggroe (traditional leader) Malik Mahmud (center) release doves with former Free Aceh Movement (GAM) officials and incumbent Aceh Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) officials during the 20th anniversary ceremony of the Aceh Peace Agreement in Banda Aceh, Aceh, on August 15, 2025,

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Discourse: Aceh people real heroes in 2005 peace deal

Facing climate crisis: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) executive secretary Simon Stiell.

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Climate action delivers when benefits are visible: UNFCCC

Louder than words: An activist holds a poster criticizing Culture Minister Fadli Zon's statement denying the 1998 mass rapes during a Kamisan (Thursday) silent protest on June 26 in front of the State Palace in Jakarta.

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Discourse: There are more 1998 mass rape victims than recorded

Celebration: British historian Peter Carey (left) speaks at the Urip iku Urub (Life is Light) book launch in Malang, East Java, in November. He was accompanied by editor FX Domini BB Hera (center) and historian Kuncoro Hadi. The book was presented as a birthday gift for Carey, who turned 70 in April.

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Diponegoro just wants to get respect: Carey

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Insight: Rethinking work: Driving sustainable growth in the digital age

The digital age has redefined how we live, communicate and work, but perhaps nowhere is this shift more critical than in the field of medicine and public health. As healthcare systems integrate digital technologies, the traditional roles of medical professionals are being reshaped.

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Over the past few years, the role of human resources (HR) has expanded far beyond administrative tasks. HR professionals today are expected to drive innovation, enhance the employee experience and align people strategies with business goals. With the help of technology, these responsibilities have become more manageable, and in many ways, more impactful.

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Insight: AI and Efficiency: Sacrifices The Next Generation

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Insight: Securing a healthier future: The importance of Indonesia's plasma fractionation facility

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Insight: Understanding sovereign wealth funds and their application in Indonesia

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