Jakarta is planning to extend remote working for public employees and ramp up water misting from tall buildings as the city's air quality has not improved despite various efforts to curb air pollution.

The Suralaya power plant in Cilegon, Banten, is one of the largest coal-fired power plants in Southeast Asia with a total installed capacity of 3,400 megawatts and 35,000 tonnes of estimated daily coal consumption.

The Jakarta Military Police have said that their preliminary findings have found that extortion was behind the recent abduction, torture and murder of Imam Masykur, a 25-year-old Aceh native allegedly by three members of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

The Jakarta Police have arrested three civilians linked to the death of Imam Masykur, a 25-year-old Aceh native who was allegedly abducted and tortured by three members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) in an extortion plot.

Despite the recent government efforts to tackle the pollution, Jakarta air quality on Wednesday morning was still "unhealthy" with a score of 177, even higher than two weeks ago.

The President made the decision in a limited cabinet meeting on late Monday.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo launched the Greater Jakarta LRT on Monday, heralding the beginning of its service connecting Jakarta and two satellite cities as part of efforts to alleviate chronic traffic in the capital and its worsening air pollution.

Investigators from the Environment and Forestry Ministry have named at least five suspects and shut down several businesses for their alleged contribution to the worsening air pollution choking the Greater Jakarta area.

Seven motorcyclists who were hit by a truck in South Jakarta while driving against the flow of traffic will be fined and will not be eligible for insurance payouts, authorities have said, as they seek to deter widespread wrong-way driving in the capital.

Jakarta and its surrounding cities form a megalopolis of about 30 million people, and its airborne concentration of the tiny particles known as PM 2.5 recently surpassed other heavily polluted cities such as Riyadh, Doha and Lahore. 

The task force, led by the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s law enforcement director general, will emphasize the enforcement of existing laws on polluting industries and individuals.

The remote working policy will apply to 50 percent of city employees who are not posted in direct public service positions starting next week until Oct. 21

As Greater Jakarta struggles to curb its perennial air pollution, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry has called for a swift solution to combat the risk that upcoming sports events in the capital will face a slump in interest, particularly as the FIBA Basketball World Cup draws near.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo convened a limited meeting with several ministers and regional leaders on Monday to discuss short- and long-term strategies to tackle the issue of air pollution in the capital.

Jakarta has been consistently ranked among the 10 most polluted cities globally since May and last week topped global rankings compiled by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir. On Monday, Jakarta ranked second. 

Jakarta residents have reported worsening health in the past week after the capital was named the most polluted city in the world.

The US-based organisation said in an emailed statement late on Saturday it had decided to sever its contract with PT Capella Swastika Karya and its national director Poppy Capella, who also holds the license for Miss Universe Malaysia. 

Jakarta and its surrounds form a megalopolis of about 30 million people, and its airborne concentration of the tiny particles known as PM2.5 has outpaced other heavily polluted cities such as Riyadh, Doha and Lahore of late.

Jakarta is joining forces with its satellite cities and the government to better enforce its emissions testing rule and enact other measures to solve the chronic air pollution that has been choking the city.

According to Greenpeace Indonesia, 10 coal-fired power plants are operating within a 100-kilometer radius of the capital.

The National Police are rolling out a modified driving test for motorcycle license applicants in response to criticism that the previous version was too difficult for the general public.

Big crowds are expected to return for main and side events during the 78th Independence Day celebration in Jakarta, the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak and possibly last time before the capital moves to Nusantara in East Kalimantan.

Islets C, D, G and N are what remain of the Jakarta reclamation project after previous governor Anies Baswedan revoked the development permits for 13 artificial islet projects in September 2018.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) Jakarta office has said that it would remove Cinta Mega from her seat on the Jakarta City Council after she was caught playing a mobile game during a plenary meeting last week.

State-owned train operator PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) temporarily stopped on Tuesday morning Commuter Line services from two stations connecting South Tangerang and South Jakarta following a truck accident.

Chief of Pesanggrahan Police in South Jakarta Sr. Comr. Tedjo Asmoro said that the truck driver, identified as 51-year-old Edy Sarwono, switched to using Google Maps to find the way to his destination, a convenience store in Bintaro, South Tangerang, shortly after exiting the toll road in Tanah Kusir.

A day after causing LGBTQ controversy in Kuala Lumpur, British band The 1975 announced on Sunday that they canceled shows in Jakarta and Taiwan, where the band was scheduled to headline a three-day music festival called We The Fest in Jakarta on Sunday, as well as a standalone show in Taipei on Tuesday.

Two Alaskan Malamutes were wedded Friday at a mall in Jakarta, donning traditional Javanese costumes alongside their owners and relatives at a fake ceremony that reportedly cost 200 million rupiah ($13,350).

After only four days of operation, the Transportation Ministry has halted the limited public trial of the new Greater Jakarta LRT.

The trial has been divided into two phases: the first for invited public officials and the press from Wednesday to July 26 and the second for registered members of public from July 27 to Aug. 17. The LRT will begin full operations on Aug. 18.