Indonesian Catholics have been sending prayers to Pope Francis, who is in critical condition in hospital battling double pneumonia.

Indonesia has recorded a slight improvement of 0.7 point in the latest Journalist Safety Index, but still ranks in the bottom two-fifths of the RSF's Press Freedom Index for last year.

The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has issued a list of 91 illegal cosmetic brands that may contain hazardous substances, which are often sold through online marketplaces and promoted by social media influencers.

Culture Minister Fadli Zon says a song criticizing the police should not mention the institution directly and should stay within the boundaries of freedom of expression.

New Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto urges university rectors and officials in the higher education sector to clearly communicate the policy of no rise in single tuition fees (UKT) for state universities to students and other related parties.

The GARUDA Program, a collaboration between Binar, the BUMN Foundation and Microsoft, will equip 100,000 civil servants with AI expertise.

Fellow artists and human rights activists decry the alleged intimidation of punk rock band Sukatani for their song that criticizes corrupt police officers, calling the incident a censorship act that threatens freedom of expression in the country.

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) is training 32,000 Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) heads with the Indonesia Defense University to support the free nutritious meals program. The program is set to serve 6 million people by August.

Protecting children on digital platforms will require the involvement of parents and other parties on top of limiting the age of social media users, a lawmaker and observers have said amid the government's plan to ban minors from social media.

President Prabowo Subianto’s push for large-scale budget cuts across ministries, state agencies and regional administrations has prompted the government to halve the quota for this year’s teacher certification program, sowing doubt among educators about the President’s commitment to improving teacher welfare.

Online ride-hailing drivers and transport workers staged a demonstration at the Manpower Ministry in South Jakarta on Monday to demand holiday allowances.

Manpower Minister Yassierli acknowledged on Monday that it remained a challenge for the government to prevent brain drain in Indonesia but said no one could be prevented from seeking greener pastures abroad.

The Tourism Ministry is forming a task force with the Home Ministry to tackle illegal levies at tourist sites, as Deputy Minister Ni Luh Puspa emphasized the urgency of the issue.

As their children spend more time on social media, some parents are worried that their sons and daughters will be exposed to harmful and inappropriate content, believing that the government plan to restrict user age on social media will help them protect their kids online.

Plans are being laid out for the development of approximately 1 million new urban housing units this year, primarily in the form of vertical housing, as part of President Prabowo Subianto’s 3 million houses program. But experts are unconvinced that simply erecting more residential towers will solve Indonesia’s urban housing woes.

Feeling a mixture of anger and hopelessness, a number of Indonesians have found themselves looking for a life out of the country.

A recent survey shows that parents are overwhelmingly in support of the government's plan to restrict social media use for Indonesian minors, with most respondents citing age-inappropriate content as a key reason.

The rhinoceros endemic to Java is critically endangered, with authorities believing there are only around 82 remaining in Ujung Kulon National Park -- their last stronghold.

Several tech companies have expressed their commitment to working with the Indonesian government in creating a safe digital environment for children, following the plan to impose age restrictions on social media platforms to follow in the footsteps of Australia.

The culture minister has urged additional studies into the hotly debated origins of Gunung Padang in West Java, which was attributed to an ancient culture from over 25,000 years ago in a now-retracted controversial study.

The national weather agency found out on Wednesday that its budget for this year had been slashed 50 percent, giving the lie to an earlier assurance from the presidential spokesman that the reduction would not be so large.

Since thousands of years ago, Chinese culture has interacted with local cultures to become what is Indonesian culture today, with the acculturation celebrated in a three-month exhibition at the National Museum in Jakarta.

Proposed budget cuts threaten the accuracy of Indonesia's weather and earthquake data, the agency says, potentially impacting disaster preparedness.

Under the programme, all citizens will eventually be entitled to a free screening on their birthday, the ministry said. The screening, which is not mandatory, includes blood pressure, tests to determine the risk of heart problems or stroke, and eye tests, the ministry said.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned in a statement on Thursday that most parts of the archipelago were forecast to experience heavy rain with strong winds until Feb. 13, due to the influence of Tropical Cyclone Taliah in the Indian Ocean to the south, as well as a tropical depression identified as 95W in the western Pacific Ocean.

Health screenings on birthdays will be available specifically for children aged up to 6 years and adults over 18. Meanwhile, students aged 7 to 17 will receive screenings at their schools, and this will roll out next July. 

The government has committed to curbing online tobacco promotions by forming a special task force to monitor and remove such advertisements, which remain rampant in the digital sphere and pose health risks especially among children and teenagers.

NU pledges full support for Prabowo's administration, aiming to boost national welfare for a more prosperous Indonesia.

The higher education ministry has proposed excluding the government's university financial aid program from the sweeping budget efficiency measure to raise additional funds for the President's priority programs, and even plans to increase the KIP quota by another 200,000 students.

Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s books have influenced youths in their fight against injustice across generations, literary experts have said, stressing that the late author’s works are becoming increasingly relevant.