A waste reduction roadmap issued by the then-environment and forestry ministry in 2019 has seen little progress in its implementation as the private sector has not adhered to the plan.

BP Haji aims to improve haj organizing in 2026 by, among other things, shortening the travel period for Indonesian haj pilgrims from 40 days to 30 days.

Indonesia continues to see a disturbing rise in femicide, the gender-based killing of women, amid a lack of legal recognition and law enforcement inaction. Advocacy group Jakarta Feminist reported at least 204 cases in 2024, up around 11 percent from 184 in 2023.

Observers are blaming technical glitches and fraudulent acts marring this year’s school admissions process on a lack of preparation from education authorities.

Once a private firm enters a small island to build its business, local residents often lose access to the island where they usually fish or dock their ships. The issue has become a complaint of local islander communities amid the brouhaha surrounding Indonesian islands being sold online.

Two groups of Indonesian pilgrims from the Surabaya embarkation point in East Java were forced to spend the night in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia after their return flights were delayed due to the closure of Muscat airport in Oman following an Iranian missile attack of a Qatari base.

The growing number of women involved in drug trafficking has raised alarms among rights groups, who warn that many are being exploited as couriers yet remain criminalized despite their vulnerable social and economic circumstances.

Amid the nationwide shortage of 50,000 principals for state schools, the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry has introduced a new training program for teachers to fast-track their career advancement into school principals.

The government is set to double the number of Sekolah Rakyat (community schools) to 200 in President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship education program, which aims to provide free boarding schools for underprivileged children, despite mounting concerns about the program’s rushed implementation. 

A new ministerial regulation that allows civil servants to work remotely and manage individual work schedules has drawn criticism from public policy experts, who warn the move could compromise the quality and reliability of public services.

Syphilis infections in Indonesia have continued to rise over the past few years, with a notable upward trend being recorded among teenagers, a situation attributed by health experts to risky sexual behavior and a lack of comprehensive sex education.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Indonesia is working with the German Federal Government and the Goethe Institute cultural center to open two new centers focusing on training Indonesian migrant workers sent to Germany and other countries.

A controversial broadcasting bill seeking to ban lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) content across conventional and online media has sparked widespread criticism, with activists warning it could fuel further discrimination and endanger the rights and safety of the marginalized community.

The DNA-based testing will be combined with the acetate acid (IVA) screening that is currently widely used across the nation in order to increase the accuracy of cervical cancer screening for women.

Around two-thirds of people participating in the free birthday health screening are women, according to the Health Ministry, with health workers detecting dental problems, hypertension, diabetes and obesity as the top four health issues found during the checkups.

The Haj Organizing Agency (BP Haji) says Saudi Arabia has walked back on its plan to halve Indonesia’s haj quota and expressed confidence that BP Haji, which will take over haj management from the Religious Affairs Ministry next year, will be able to address this year’s shortcomings.

The spread of hyperrealistic images generated with AI has prompted fresh calls for regulation requiring watermarking and source traceability to prevent the spread of misinformation.

The Indonesian Ombudsman has assured that a series of controversial education policies introduced by the West Java administration would only apply to schools under the supervision of the province’s education agency, and do not extend to institutions managed by the Religious Affairs Ministry or local city and regency administrations.

West Java’s recent decision to enforce earlier school start times across all education levels has aroused concern among educators and experts, who warn that the policy could impair students’ brain development due to disrupted sleep patterns and inadequate rest. 

Indonesian children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), a rare genetic condition where tumors grow on the nerves and skin, now have access to Selumetinib, the world’s first recognized therapy for NF1.

Hundreds of Indonesian pilgrims were forced to walk the four kilometers from Muzdalifah to Mina due to transport delays, sparking swift criticism from the House of Representatives’ haj supervisory team

The controversial installment of a temporary stairlift at Borobudur Temple opened the way for a debate about inclusivity for visitors at the World Heritage Site. 

A group of Greenpeace activists and Papuan youth held a peaceful protest on the first day of an ongoing critical minerals expo in Jakarta to demand protection for Papua's biodiverse marine region of Raja Ampat.

The Public Housing and Settlements Ministry is facing mounting scrutiny after a leaked draft decree revealed plans to significantly reduce the minimum size requirements for subsidized housing units. Critics warn the proposed changes could compromise the basic standards of safety, health and comfort.

The Health Ministry has urged health facilities to stay alert and increase surveillance of COVID-19 amid a surge in cases caused by a more transmissible but less deadly Omicron subvariant in several countries across Asia.

As the government rolls out a new stimulus package to cushion the impact of the economic slowdown, concerns are growing over its long-term effects, with experts warning of potential public dependency on temporary welfare assistance and calling for more sustainable economic measures.

Just as this year’s haj season is set to enter its peak, concerns have emerged among Indonesian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and people back home of mismanagement following reports of illegal pilgrimage attempts, visa cancellations and lodging issues.