Indonesia's energy minister said on Thursday the government had made improvements in its oil and gas terms that would allow contractors to have equity shares of more than 50 percent in some new blocks to attract investment.

The SMEs minister has denied suggestions that the government planned to ban the highly popular social media platform, though he said if there was one, it would be designed to protect local SMEs against unfair competition.

Huawei recently started selling its Mate 60 Pro phone containing a chip that analysts believe was made with a technology breakthrough by Chinese chip foundry Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC).

The government said it intends to carry out oil and gas exploration in the Warim block in Papua as planned, despite some of the land falling within the Lorentz National Park, a protected UNESCO World Heritage site.

The government will permit the use of state funds as a loan guarantee to sustain the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway (HSR) project, a decision that has been criticized for putting a heavy burden on the taxpayer.

Indonesia is set to miss its target 7.2 gigawatt (GW) of installed geothermal power capacity because of high development costs and a lack of supporting regulation, according to the Indonesian Geothermal Association (INAGA).

The Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority has said that it requires an additional Rp 3.15 trillion (US$ 204.9 million), citing needs to cover higher infrastructure spending in the new capital project.

The government promised to compensate residents of Rempang Island, Riau Islands, to leave their lands, as Jakarta insists on paving the way for a China-backed megaproject in the area.

Coffee firms' lack of preparedness for the law might prompt them to shift sourcing to more developed regions like Brazil that have better traceability, leaving the millions of mostly small scale, poverty stricken farmers in the lurch, the report says.

Indonesia is moving closer to selling electricity to the neighboring city state, but analysts still see challenges related to clearing and manufacturing.

The Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) has said it will expand its questioning of rice millers in relation to allegations of anticompetitive practices after speaking to a top industry player.

Lawmakers have rejected state-owned electricity firm PLN’s request for Rp 10 trillion (US$651.4 million) in public funds for the improvement of the country’s energy infrastructure, pointing to a lack of clarity on the utility’s priorities and use of funds.

The investigation launched on Wednesday will determine if punitive tariffs are warranted to protect EU producers from what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described as a "flood" of cheaper Chinese EV imports.

Environmental groups have submitted a formal complaint to the World Bank for providing financial support for two coal-fired power plants in Indonesia, violating a pledge to stop backing fossil fuels.

Chinese staff from China Railway Group will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in its early years, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), the Sino-Indonesian consortium responsible for the project, has announced.

Indonesia users spent more money on TikTok than anywhere else in Southeast Asia over the past year, as the app's e-commerce arm rapidly grew to gain a substantial regional market share and millions of sellers since its 2021 launch.

Brussels will investigate Chinese state subsidies for electric cars, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, vowing to defend Europe's industry against "artificially low prices".

The government has proposed state capital injections (PMN) of Rp 24.6 trillion (US$1.59 billion) to continue work on toll road projects handled by debt-laden state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

Rare earths are considered to be lucrative and of strategic value because they are used in the manufacturing of military equipment, lasers, smartphones and magnets found in electric vehicles and wind turbines.

Rare earths are a group of 17 elements used in products from lasers and military equipment to magnets found in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and consumer electronics, such as smartphones.

Greenpeace praises the utility firm for its ambition but expresses doubt over the implementation, while experts urge the government to disincentivize the coal industry and pour subsidies into renewable energy projects.

The Agricultural Quarantine Agency says the government would not impose an immediate ban should lumpy skin disease (LSD) be detected again in animals shipped into the country.

Indonesia should foster a friendly environment for mining firms so that nickel reserves can be tapped and the country can move away from importing the commodity, according to industry observers.

Japan is cautious toward investing in the technology sector in relation to the presence of Chinese firms amid the United States policy to restrict China access to advanced chips and related technologies.

Experts have cast doubts on the prospects of public transportation in the new capital of Nusantara, pointing out that its development may still hinge on accommodating private vehicles, much like in Jakarta.

Experts say such a move would be a major step back in the country's journey toward lower carbon emissions.

The import tariff exclusions include industrial components such as pumps and electric motors, some car parts and chemicals, bicycles and vacuum cleaners.

PLN plans to add 32 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity and invest in grids that would be able to connect to more renewable power sources, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

Though ASEAN member states have vowed better collaboration on issues from food security to geopolitical risks, experts say technical difficulties and a lack of political will often threw a wrench into such efforts.

Pertamina CEO Nicke Widyawati also proposed widening the scope of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) to include decarbonization initiatives on the way to cleaner power supply.