Heavy congestion and traffic accidents have again marked the annual Idul Fitri travel season this year, despite extensive preparations by the government to manage the surge in travelers making homebound trips.

A hybrid learning plan has been scrapped from austerity measures amid a rise in global energy prices due to the Middle East war, even as legal challenges continue against the multibillion-dollar free meals program.

The Immigration and Corrections Ministry has granted special remission for 154,785 prisoners and reduced prison sentences for 1,123 juvenile offenders on Idul Fitri. 

Prabowo spent the eve of Idul Fitri, also known as malam takbiran, in the North Sumatra provincial capital of Medan, where he had arrived the day before from Jakarta.

The government has declared that Idul Fitri will fall on Saturday, following an isbat (moon sighting confirmation) meeting on Thursday night.

The National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas) has projected that the peak of this year’s homecoming mudik (exodus) traffic flow has taken place two days ahead of Idul Fitri.

An internal military justice investigation of the alleged perpetrators clouds transparency and risks perpetuating impunity, civil society groups have said.

Exactly seven days since two unknown motorcyclists attacked Andrie Yusri with acid, leaving the rights activist with severe burns on his face and chest, law enforcement authorities have detained four suspects and identified another two in parallel investigations by the military police and the Jakarta Police.

In addition to the eight "high-risk" platforms subject to restrictions under the new online child protection rule, the digital ministry has indicated that other social media apps like WhatsApp could be required to adjust their minimum user age, pending the results of their self-assessments.

The task force, led by businessman Hashim Djojohadikusumo, is assigned to look for ‘innovative and sustainable funding’ for national park management without compromising its main purpose of environmental conservation, according to Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni.

Hundreds of millions of people are still expected to hit the road and travel homebound on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of Nyepi and Idul Fitri, with the latter expected to fall on Friday or Saturday, depending on the moon sighting.

The threat of online child exploitation continues to loom despite the government’s plan to restrict children’s access to certain digital platforms, as experts warn that predators can easily move across multiple online spaces where young users interact.

President Prabowo Subianto called for various authorities to work to ensure the upcoming Idul Fitri goes smoothly, safely and comfortably, as millions are expected to travel to their hometowns.

Kitchens that fail to obtain mandatory hygiene and sanitation certificates are subject to suspension.

The peak of the 2026 haj pilgrimage is expected to fall in May, with Indonesian pilgrims scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia starting on April 22.

Some family members have turned to social media for potential updates out of desperation, citing a  paucity of official information since the UAE-flagged Mussafah II exploded on March 6.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry has begun introducing guidelines on the use of electronic devices at schools to support the implementation of a social media ban for minors under 16 which will come into force in less than three weeks.

Indonesian press and the mainstream media in the country have struggled financially for years amid the domination of global platforms that monopolize the production and distribution of information.

From forced closures of worship spaces to attacks on children, Setara says government policies and selective law enforcement continue to enable religious freedom violations in Indonesia. 

The Health Ministry has reported a high prevalence of depression and anxiety among Indonesian children, affecting around 10 percent of them, about five times the rate recorded among adults and elderly, with bullying and academic pressure among the key risk factors. 

Indonesia will require platforms to deactivate "high risk" social media accounts for under 16s, according to a new ministerial regulation distributed on Monday.

Social media and other digital platforms in Indonesia now have three months to assess child safety risks under a new government regulation, with users under 16 facing restrictions on high-risk services to curb exposure to harmful content and online exploitation.

The social media ban for children under 16 will take effect on March 28, but details about the ban remain scarce.

Despite having ‘progressive’ policies such as the 2022 Sexual Violence Eradication Law, gender-based violence cases are still rampant in the country, with many blaming the lack of adequate response from law enforcement institutions in giving justice to victims of such crimes.

A study published on March 2 in The Lancet Oncology recorded some 60,400 cases of breast cancer across the country in 2023, nearly six times higher than the figure in 1990. At least 28,300 patients in Indonesia also died in the same year because of this type of cancer.

The rampant misuse of canisters of nitrous oxide gas ostensibly marketed as whipped cream chargers but increasingly used to induce euphoria, has exposed regulatory loopholes that raise concerns about its impact on young people.

In recent days, several schools in Central Java have returned government-provided meal packages following complaints from parents about their quality.