Workers complete construction of the Cawang-Dukuh LRT line in Dukuh Atas, Jakarta, on Aug. 13. Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto has predicted that Indonesia's economy will contract 0.49 percent in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aep, 50, shaves bamboo for panjat pinang (pole climbing) competitions, which are usually held during Indonesia’s Independence Day celebrations, in Manggarai, Jakarta, on Aug. 13. Pinang bamboo craftsmen have seen a loss in income after the Jakarta administration restricted events that attract crowds amid the surge in COVID-19 cases. While in normal years, a craftsman can sell up to 50 pinang, this year they haven't been able to sell any.

Cyclists ride along Jl. Sudirman in Jakarta on Aug. 9. Although the Jakarta administration has canceled the regular Car Free Day (CFD) on Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin, the area is still packed with people who want to exercise.

Firefighters spray disinfectant at the House of Representatives complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Aug. 9 in the lead up to the House’s plenary meeting to mark Independence Day.

Biology teacher Wahyu Adi Prasetyo (left) and his colleague, English Rantiyani, an English teacher, teach online classes in South Tangerang, Banten, on Aug. 10. Without large internet data packages, some teachers have been forced to reduce the duration of their online classes.

Employees of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) depart from their office on Aug. 12. The government has decided to change the status of KPK employees to civil servants despite criticisms that the status change would undermine the antigraft body’s independence.

Two women pass by Independence Day-themed decorations in Depok, West Java, on Aug. 10. Although the pandemic still shows no signs of slowing down, some communities are still eager to hold festive Independence Day celebrations.

A mural shows two Papuans with the words: “If we are monkeys, don’t force monkeys to raise the white and red [Indonesian] flag. Stop racism.” The mural was displayed on a road connecting Depok and Bogor, West Java. The mural refers to an incident last year in Surabaya, East Java, in which a Papuan student was vilified and called a “monkey”. The incident led to a string of antiracism protests.

A boy plays with a kite in the Pondok Ranggon Public Cemetery in East Jakarta on Aug. 14. With a limited amount of open space, many children in Jakarta are forced to play in some unusual places, including in this cemetery, which has served as the final resting place of many COVID-19 victims.