Indonesian president, defence minister, and businessman navigating a volatile political economy
A panel of judges has found Nadiem Anwar Makarim guilty of abuse of authority in relation to the 2020 procurement of Google Chromebooks for Indonesian schools. He has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, with a fine and restitution totaling over 800 billion rupiah. Prosecution says state losses reached about 125 million, while Google’s investment in Gojek is central to the case. The verdicts from multiple outlets converge, with the defense planning appeals.
The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has begun in Manila. Police have deployed around the Senate as pro- and anti-Duterte demonstrators gather. Duterte denies wrongdoing and has appeared via counsel, with the outcome potentially barring her from future office and shaping the 2028 race.
The government has not charged Febrie Adriansyah. Authorities are carrying out raids across Jakarta, South Tangerang, and Bogor in connection with a corruption and bribery case tied to power blackouts and fraud at Asabri and Jiwasraya. The case involves state officials and mining firms amid high-profile investigations.
The Indonesian central bank chief has resigned, with the government naming an interim successor as markets react. Separately, the National Nutrition Agency faces ongoing scrutiny amid leadership changes and health concerns surrounding key figures.
Indonesia has-received artefacts linked to Papuan Dani, Asmat and Lake Sentani communities, recovered in cooperation with the FBI. The artefacts, smuggled out of Indonesia, will be housed at the National Museum, as part of efforts to restore cultural sovereignty. This follows recent repatriations including bronze Buddhist sculptures and other items.
A coordinated U.S.-Japan intervention in late July has only temporarily strengthened the yen. The currency has given back roughly half the gains from the operation and is trading near ¥159–¥160 to the dollar as of mid-August. Analysts say the yield gap between U.S. and Japanese debt and Japan's domestic policy mix are keeping downward pressure on the yen.
Top authorities have coordinated a yen intervention to stall a slide in the currency, a move that strengthens yen but leaves questions about long-term fiscal and monetary policy. The effort reflects growing geopolitical ties and a shared aim to curb disorderly moves that could threaten global markets.
Since early 2026 wildfires have scorched hundreds of thousands of hectares across Indonesia, concentrating on Borneo (Kalimantan). A powerful El Niño and prolonged dry conditions have driven deep-burning peat and forest blazes that have sent hazardous haze into Malaysian Borneo and Singapore, closed schools and prompted arrests and troop, helicopter and cloud‑seeding deployments.
Wildfires across Kalimantan and Sumatra have intensified under El Niño-driven drought, pushing smoke into Malaysia and Brunei. Authorities deploy cloud-seeding, water-bombing aircraft, and ground crews as hotspots rise and air quality deteriorates, threatening health and livelihoods.
Indonesia's leadership has approved added funds to the budget, with finance officials noting the move could be classified as non-tax state revenue to help narrow the year's fiscal deficit. Government seeks 6% growth by 2027 while keeping the deficit at or below 2.4% of GDP, and foreign appetite for Indonesian debt remains robust amid healthy inflows.
Fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, have burned tens of thousands of acres, triggering a regional haze that is drifting toward Malaysia and Singapore. Health impacts surge as thousands seek care weekly; authorities revoke permits for suspected burners while policing steps up arrests. The El Niño phenomenon is intensifying the dry season, raising the risk of further blazes.
Outbreaks linked to the MBG free meals programme have sickened about 1,950 students and staff across East Java, Central Java, West Sumatra, Aceh and South Sulawesi. No deaths reported. Health authorities are tightening oversight and investigating hundreds of kitchens amid ongoing programme rollout.
The Koronea Family Office has spent almost $70 million to take a controlling stake in Atlas Trafo, part of a broader push to build an international power engineering group around ZPUE, a Polish industrial legacy. The strategy reflects a private family-backed move into cross-border acquisitions.
Indonesian fires on Borneo and Sumatra have blanketed parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore in toxic haze. Authorities say thousands of personnel and aircraft have been deployed to fight the blazes, which are linked to El Niño, climate change, and peatland degradation. Schools have closed and air quality is worsening as smoke drifts across borders.
Leaders from BRICS and newly admitted members have arrived in New Delhi for a two-day summit beginning Sept. 12. Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian have travelled to India; Narendra Modi has held bilateral talks with several visitors. Delegates are confronting the US‑Israel war on Iran, the Ukraine conflict, trade tensions and energy security.
BRICS leaders gather in New Delhi as Xi, Putin, Pezeshkian and others meet India for a pivotal summit. The talks focus on expanding trade in national currencies, energy cooperation, and reforms to global institutions, with tensions over the Ukraine war, Middle East conflicts, and US-dominated financial systems at the forefront.
BRICS leaders gather in New Delhi amid tensions from the US–Iran war, amid broader global upheaval. The expanded bloc faces divisions over how to respond to Middle East conflicts, energy markets, and trade wars, while stressing a Global South-led reform agenda.
Indonesia has received the former Italian warship Giuseppe Garibaldi, now KRI Gajah Mada, in North Jakarta. Indonesia says the carrier will enhance disaster response and maritime security, while critics warn of high costs and uncertain necessity amid fiscal pressures.