In this screen grab, Hercules or Rosario de Marshal (central) of United Indonesian People’s Movement (GRIB) Jaya, speaks on Aug. 30 about several issues that emerged following chaotic demonstrations on Aug. 27 in Jakarta, after attending the regional working meeting of the GRIB Jaya West Java chapter, which also marked the first anniversary of the GRIB Jaya branch in Palabuhanratu, Sukabumi regency, West Java.`

Hercules’ return spotlights Prabowo’s informal power network

Hercules forged a close relationship with Prabowo when the latter served in the Indonesian Military in East Timor during the 1980s. He later founded GRIB Jaya in 2011 and appointed Prabowo to its advisory board.

2 hours ago

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Sinabung eruption halts flights at Kualanamu airport, thousands evacuated

The Kualanamu International Airport's aerodrome is closed dynamically according to Mount Sinabung's latest condition following its Monday eruption.

12 hours ago

Politics premium

Komnas HAM launches probe on Jakarta protest handling

At least one person died and 322 others were arrested after a protest in front of the Senayan Legislative Complex in Jakarta on Aug. 27, in which protesters from Pati, Central Java, called for stronger law enforcement against corruption.

13 hours ago

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Harry Tjan Silalahi, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) (left) and Jusuf Wanandi, vice chair of the Board of Trustees, deliver remarks on Tuesday, Sept.1, 2026, during a ceremony marking the 55th anniversary of CSIS Indonesia at the CSIS office in Central Jakarta.

Politics premium

CSIS at 55: Defending space for policy debate

The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) celebrated its 55th anniversary on Tuesday, pledging to continue to push into increasingly complex policy debates even as the space for expert voices in policymaking appears to be narrowing.

16 hours ago

Police officers douse a peatland fire on Aug. 25, 2026, in Tambang district, Kampar regency, Riau.

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Police monitor wildfire areas to prevent illegal land conversion

Police have ramped up postfire monitoring to ensure that unscrupulous actors or uninformed residents do not exploit burnt land for cultivating cash crops, including oil palm.

16 hours ago

Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi (third left) places a Red-and-White flag marking the start of construction of the 134.2 Megawatt peak (MWp) floating solar farm at Gajah Mungkur Dam in Wonogiri, Central Java, on Aug. 25, 2026.

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Work starts on 134.3 MWp floating solar farm in C. Java

The Gajah Mungkur floating photovoltaic (FPV) system is one of the strategic projects in a national program to develop 100 GWp in three years.

17 hours ago

Officials from various agencies look on as two men install a poster on Aug. 29 warning residents and tourists not to approach Mount Sinabung in Karo regency, North Sumatra. The Mount Sinabung Monitoring Post has increased the volcano's status to Level II Waspada (advisory) following increased volcanic activities.

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Mt. Sinabung erupts after five years, status raised to ‘alert’

Increased volcanic activity, as shown by visual and instrumental observations, suggests bigger follow-up eruption may happen.

1 day ago

A farmer walks into a solar-powered water pump station on Aug. 22 in Tengengwetan village, Pekalongan, Central Java. Solar-powered water pumps allow farmers to reduce diesel fuel consumption and thus their production cost.

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politics

Post-protest unrest disrupts Jakarta commute

Friday morning saw the remnants of unrest following Thursday’s protest at the Senayan Legislative Complex, which spread into nearby Pejompongan and Slipi, where residents mounted a defense against unidentified groups via makeshift roadblocks.

5 days ago

jakarta

Jakarta fines waste firms over illegal dumping

Jakarta has seen a surge of makeshift dumpsites as the gradual closure of Bantar Gebang, the capital’s largest landfill in neighboring Bekasi, has put further pressure on the city’s waste management system.

2 days ago