Government and Catholic officials mourn the death of Pope Francis, who is remembered as a role model for peace, humanity and commitment to the environment amid the world’s multiple crises.

Keen to end its reliance on rice imports, Indonesia wants to plant vast tracts of the crop, along with sugar cane for biofuel, in the restive eastern region.

"The world has once again lost a role model who had a great commitment to peace, humanity, and brotherhood," Prabowo wrote on social media.

The Health Ministry plans to reform the government's specialist residency program after a flurry of cases brought the issue of systemic abuse into the public spotlight, with measures that include mental health screening, a digital logbook and hospital oversight to prevent exploitative practices.

The US and China-owned tech firms have reaffirmed their commitment to complying with the government's new child online safety rules, pointing to their ongoing global efforts in protecting underage users, while also calling for clear implementing guidelines.

Lecturers’ long wait for performance allowances is nearing an end, with the government promising to start disbursements as early as July; a move welcomed by lecturers' associations, though concerns persist over the unequal distribution of the new incentive scheme.

The migrant workers ministry plans to send around 400,000 migrant workers for overseas placements this year as it works to develop a training ecosystem to secure skilled jobs and ramp up protection in destination countries, including against human trafficking.

Children's and digital rights observers have raised questions about the new regulation on child online safety, pointing to regulatory inconsistencies and gaps that could pose a risk to underage users and their personal data.

Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti’s plan to reinstate the science, social studies and language study pathways in senior high school have drawn criticism from students and teachers, particularly because of a lack of apparent evaluation of the existing system introduced by the previous government.

Compared to their conventional counterparts, embedded SIM (eSIM) cards are deemed more secure as they can prevent phone number-based hacking and identity theft, according to Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid.

Progress for the establishment of Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools), President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship program that targets impoverished students, is picking up pace as the Social Affairs Ministry prepares to recruit teachers ahead of the schools' kickoff this July.

Experts blame the dwindling life quality caused by the government’s policies as one of the main causes of Indonesia’s dropping in this year’s global happiness report; a reality that is balanced by acts of generosity toward others driven by the need for self-comfort.

The government has launched a subsidized housing program for journalists, aiming to allocate 1,000 units this year as part of its effort to ensure access to affordable housing for media workers across the country.

Legendary singer and songwriter Titiek Puspa died at the age 87 on Thursday of complications from a brain hemorrhage.

The ongoing revision of the 2002 Broadcasting Law must regulate the use of artificial intelligence in broadcasting to ensure ethical usage of the technology and safeguard good journalism practices, media practitioners and journalist organizations have said.

While a regulation on performance bonuses has been signed, the Higher Education, Science and Technology Ministry says that the government may need longer time to disburse the money to lecturers with civil servant status across the country.

Human rights advocates have denounced the government’s “double standard” on capital punishment, following a recent report that revealed its ongoing tendency to hand down the death penalty, while simultaneously repatriating a number of death row convicts to their respective home countries.

The number of death sentences in Indonesia continues to rise over the years, making the Southeast Asian country a significant contributor to the death sentence figure globally as recorded executions hit their highest level since 2015.

The government will implement strict oversight and enforce penalties for civil servants who fail to return to work this week, despite the remote work policy, as the extended Idul Fitri holiday comes to an end.

The Government Regulation (PP) on electronic system providers governance in child protection signed on March 28 mandates that online platforms prioritize child protection over commercial pursuits and forbids them from commodifying children.

The police recorded 2,110 accidents between March 23 and Wednesday, down 21 percent from last year's figure.

The number of accidents during this year’s Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) dropped 31 percent compared to last year as travel flows remained smooth, authorities have reported.

The government will prepare various strategies to anticipate the congestion, including by implementing a contraflow traffic scheme.

Marking the first palace gathering of his presidency, the President is slated to host an Idul Fitri "open house" after performing the holiday prayers at Istiqlal Mosque on Monday morning.

Combining astrological and traditional methods, the Religious Affairs Ministry's moonsighting committee has determined that the first day of Idul Fitri falls on March 31, which also means that members of both NU and Muhammadiyah will be celebrating the holiday on the same date this year.

Millions of Muslims often face questions on when the Ramadan or Idul Fitri holidays will fall, which depends on how religious authorities observe the moon to determine the Hijriah Islamic calendar.

The government is aiming to better align the vocational education sector with the job market through two new policies that will provide students opportunities for upskilling at job training centers as well as prospective jobs overseas upon graduation.

The country is likely to see a more reserved Idul Fitri this year as fewer people participate in the mudik (exodus) tradition amid financial hardship, widespread layoffs and President Prabowo Subianto’s sweeping austerity measures.

A work-from-anywhere (WFA) policy for civil servants and earlier school holidays for students have contributed to an earlier mudik (exodus) ahead of this year's Idul Fitri holiday, as suggested by data compiled by authorities.

A ministry official reported that the total gross deforestation for 2024 was 216,200 ha, offset by reforestation efforts covering 40,800 ha, resulting in a net loss of 175,400 ha.