The government has been tightening screening measures at two busy airports in the country after two cases of the deadly and transmissible Nipah virus were detected in India.

Ministries and agencies have been ordered to cut budgets to make room for areas that President Prabowo Subianto has prioritized, such as his flagship free meals programs and higher defense spending.

The Health Ministry plans to add treatment to its free health screening program after reaching 70 percent of its target, shifting focus from detection to early intervention and long-term cost savings.

Honorary teachers who have served for years remain unpaid and overlooked as kitchen staff in President Prabowo’s free nutritious meal program secure full-time government contracts, sparking criticism over education funding priorities.

Following the publication of a study on the world’s oldest-dated rock art in Southeast Sulawesi, Culture Minister Fadli Zon said the government would balance the preservation and utilization of the caves where the ancient artwork was found.

PT North Sumatera Hydro Energy, the developer of Batang Toru hydropower plant in South Tapanuli regency, North Sumatra, has had its business permit repealed as the government takes action against companies allegedly linked to deforestation that exacerbated northern Sumatra's floods and landslides.

The latest rock art found on Muna Island in Southeast Sulawesi, a faded hand stencil made out of ocher that may be made at least 67,800 years ago, might provide more clues for archaeologists about how ancient human migrated through Sulawesi to Australia.

BGN head Dadan Hindayana said the agency aims to eliminate food poisoning incidents entirely this year. However, he acknowledged that since the start of 2025 there have already been 10 food poisoning incidents nationwide, caused by violations of standard operating procedures by the kitchens that prepare the meals.

President Prabowo Subianto’s plan to significantly expand his flagship Sekolah Rakyat (community school) program in the coming years has drawn scrutiny from observers, who caution that rapid growth could come at the expense of measurable learning outcomes.

Since its launch, the program has been plagued by a series of food safety incidents, with more than 15,000 students reported to have suffered food poisoning between January and November last year.

The Communications and Digital Ministry has temporarily blocked access to X’s chatbot Grok over concerns about artificial intelligence-generated pornographic content, amid the government’s attempt to bolster child protection in the digital space through a new regulation.

The Communications and Digital Ministry has summoned X officials to discuss the matter.

Subclade K, representing a significant evolution in the H3N2 virus, was first identified by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in August 2025 and has since been reported in more than 80 countries.

BMKG has previously noted that Indonesia is increasingly exposed to tropical cyclones forming in both the Indian and Pacific oceans.

From August to December 2025, Indonesia confirmed 62 cases of super flu across eight provinces, with the highest numbers reported in East Java, South Kalimantan and West Java.

In a speech to farmers in Karawang, West Java, President Prabowo celebrated an "important victory" in achieving rice self-sufficiency within just over a year since he entered office in October 2024.

Wearing a mask, Sugianto began going door to door, knocking on residents’ homes. He guided them slowly to the evacuation site and carried those who were unable to walk.

Indonesia’s National Health Insurance (JKN) program is set to undergo a series of policy revamps to improve the quality and access to medical service, but there is still a long road ahead to truly achieve universal health coverage.

As of the end of December 2025, Indonesia had recorded 62 confirmed cases of the “super flu” virus A (H3N2) subclade K across eight provinces, including East Java, South Kalimantan and West Java.

With a budget nearing one-tenth of this year’s state spending, President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free nutritious meal program faces mounting pressure to justify its cost, amid criticism over food safety incidents, weak oversight and competing policy priorities.

During his fifth visit to the disaster-hit northern Sumatra provinces, President Prabowo Subianto reasserted his administration’s commitment to “return normalcy” to the region within three months, focusing on rebuilding bridges, houses and other public facilities.

Indonesians ushered in the New Year with subdued celebrations, as scaled-down festivities across the country served as a gesture of solidarity with millions affected by deadly disasters in northern Sumatra.

Most regions held joint prayers for the New Year’s Eve celebration for people affected by cyclone-induced floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, but some still opted to set off fireworks in several locations across the country.

While boasting in front of the international community of a commitment to grant 1.4 million hectares of customary forest in the next five years, the government was met with criticism of conflicting policies and increasing repression that put indigenous communities in a more vulnerable position.

With the New Year return-traffic surge expected from Jan. 2 to 4, authorities are stepping up road safety operations to prevent accidents that have already claimed a number of lives during the year-end holiday season.

Many in the congregation of churches in regions affected by cyclone-induced floods and landslides are still sheltering at evacuation sites after the disasters wreaked havoc on the regions a month ago.

Various churches and state officials call for Indonesian Christians to pray for victims of floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra during this year’s Christmas celebrations.