Indonesia

On December 25, 2023, a massive explosion rocked a nickel plant in Morowali, Indonesia, killing 13 people and injuring 38 others. The blast was caused by a gas leak that ignited a fire in the furnace area of the plant, which produces nickel pig iron, a raw material for stainless steel.  The plant is owned by a joint venture between …

Millions of Indonesians rely on rideshare apps such as Gojek and Grab for their daily transportation, delivery, and other services. However, the workers behind these apps face low wages, long hours, and uncertain legal protection, as the country’s labor laws have not kept pace with the rapid growth of the digital economy. According to a recent report by the International …

In the village of Cikondang, located in the Cianjur Regency of West Java, Indonesia, the local community has united to promote tourism and preserve their culture and environment. The village, which is surrounded by lush green hills and rice fields, offers a variety of attractions and activities for visitors, such as hiking, cycling, fishing, camping, and learning about the traditional …

Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transactions Law (ITE Law), enacted in 2008, has been widely criticized by human rights activists and civil society groups for its vague and broad provisions that can be used to criminalize online expression and silence dissent. The ITE Law regulates various aspects of online activities, such as e-commerce, data protection, and cybercrime. However, it also contains …

Indonesia’s president has ordered the military to assist farmers in planting rice, as the country faces a severe drought and a surge in rice prices due to the El Niño weather phenomenon. President Joko Widodo, who visited a rice field in central Java on Wednesday, said he wanted to speed up the planting process, which had been delayed by months …

In a small warehouse in the outskirts of Jakarta, Muhammad Helmi is busy feeding his hungry guests: thousands of maggots devouring a mountain of food waste. Helmi, 25, is the founder of Magalarva, a start-up that uses black soldier fly larvae to convert organic waste into animal feed, fertilizer and biofuel. He says his innovative solution can help tackle Indonesia’s …

TikTok, the popular short video app owned by China’s ByteDance, announced on Monday that it will invest $1.5 billion in Indonesia over the next three years, as part of its expansion plan in Southeast Asia. The investment will be used to support the development of TikTok’s e-commerce platform, TikTok Shop, which allows users to buy and sell products through the …

Indonesian authorities on Thursday called off the search for victims of a volcanic eruption that killed at least 23 people and injured dozens more on Java island. The volcano erupted on Sunday, sending a 3km (9,800ft) ash cloud into the air, and depositing large amounts of volcanic ash in nearby districts. The eruption occurred while many climbers were on the …

Indonesia is planning to release 200 million genetically modified mosquitoes in Bali as part of an experiment to combat dengue fever, a potentially fatal disease that affects millions of people in the country every year. The project, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and led by the World Mosquito Program (WMP), aims to reduce the transmission …

At least 11 hikers were killed and 12 others were missing after a volcano erupted in Indonesia on Sunday, spewing hot ash and gas that engulfed a popular hiking trail, an official said. The victims were among dozens of people who were hiking up Mount Marapi, a 2,891-meter (9,485-foot) volcano on Sumatra island, when it suddenly erupted around noon local …