Indonesia is keeping open the possibility of exporting opium-like plant Mitragyna speciose to the United States amid ongoing legal debate as to whether the plant should be classed as an illegal narcotic.

ASEAN needs to devise a coordinated strategy on critical minerals if the member states are serious about helping each other develop their respective downstream industries, experts say.  

State-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina will replace its Pertalite RON 90 gasoline with "Pertamax Green 92", which contains a ethanol, in hopes of reducing air pollution.

The US expanded the restriction of exports of sophisticated Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices artificial-intelligence chips beyond China to other regions including some countries in the Middle East.

Every national identity card (KTP) holder is now eligible to purchase one electric two-wheeler at a government-subsidized price, part of an effort to increase the country’s uptake of electric vehicles (EVs).

An eagerly awaited road map meant to guide ASEAN’s efforts to integrate power grids across the region has been pushed back.

"During Aug. 30 to Sept. 3 the Managing Director will be visiting China to engage in bilateral discussions with China's senior leadership team," they said. 

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said the government was reviewing whether it would subsidize Pertamax, state-owned oil firm Pertamina’s RON 92 gasoline, in its latest effort to curb pollution.

ASEAN countries are seeking to promote the digital economy framework agreement (DEFA), which will allow the region to greatly increase its digital economy potential, but Indonesia's current protectionist policies may stand in the way of reaching that goal.

The Fed has raised rates by 5.25 percentage points since March 2022, and inflation by the Fed's preferred gauge has moved down to 3.3 percent from its peak of 7 percent last summer.

The rule is part of a broader push by Congress and regulatory authorities to crack down on crypto users who may be failing to pay their taxes.

The AFMGM event also saw the inclusion of Vietnam into a pact on regional payment integration.

Japan exported about $600 million worth of aquatic products to China in 2022, making it the biggest market for Japanese exports, with Hong Kong second.

The government is set to launch a new regulation on carbon capture and storage (CCS) by year-end in an effort to expedite investment on the technology and bring down emissions from hard-to-abate industries.

Indonesia may lack the necessary funding to complete the energy transition, putting the country at risk of missing its emission reduction targets, especially those of the next seven years.

At its latest monthly monetary meeting, which ended on Thursday, Bank Indonesia (BI) decided to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the seventh consecutive month because of global uncertainties.

In 2016, India imposed a 20 percent tax on sugar exports to curb overseas sales.

Negotiations between Australia and the 450-million-person bloc stalled in July, partly over the issue of greater market access for Australian farm products like beef.

Newly built captive power plants fueled with coal may be a stumbling block for Indonesia’s effort to cap power sector carbon emissions and get international financial support for its energy transition.

The adjustment, which was also implemented during the pandemic, could cause slower economic growth and lower productivity, according to private businesses.

The Indonesian government has signed four mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) to harmonize ASEAN member countries’ standards and practices in food safety, building and construction materials as well as the manufacture of medicinal products.

China's central bank on Monday cut a key interest rate in an attempt to counter the post-COVID growth slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.

Workers at a local supplier for global sportswear brand Adidas claim their employment rights are routinely breached, raising concerns about an industry long accused of poor labor conditions.  

Earlier this week, Indonesia requested the WTO examine the EU's imposition of duties on biodiesel imports from Indonesia.

The Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKK Migas) says there is no government plan to raise upstream gas prices and supplies are sufficient to meet demand.

The EU is Indonesia's third-largest destination for palm oil products and an important market for its biodiesel, which is made from palm oil. Indonesia is the world's biggest palm oil producer.

Though the JETP Secretariat has delayed its launch of the key CIPP blueprint that was expected on Wednesday, an expert says the move will provide more time to develop a more comprehensive plan for accessing the funds and getting the scheme underway.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said that the three South Korean teleco firms, including SK Telecom, KT Corp and LG Uplus Corp, had exaggerated their 5G network speeds and unfairly advertised that they were the fastest relative to their competitors.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told a press briefing on Wednesday that a little over Rp 40 billion of the 2024 state budget would be allocated to developing the nation's new capital, with 86.2 percent of that fund going toward building vital infrastructure, including government housing.

In an effort to strike a balance between real cost and consumer purchasing power, the government has decided to subsidize the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway (KCJB), a decision that experts question given the railway's upper middle class target market.