Joko Widodo

Indonesia agreed Oct. 8 to accept international help to combat forest and agricultural fires cloaking Southeast Asia in haze, after weeks of failed attempts to douse the blazes that have infuriated its neighbours.

Turkey is no Indonesia, Standard & Poor?s declared this week. 

But the two countries have many things in common. Both are composed of Muslim majorities, both are listed under the MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey) grouping, trailing the BRICS. Both countries have received a BB+ rating from S&P recently. 

Indonesian President Joko Widodo replaced major economic ministers in a cabinet reshuffle on August 12 less than a year into his term, after facing criticism for failing to revive growth which is at a six-year low.

Indonesian legislators and human rights activists criticized Aug. 5 a government proposal to make insulting the president illegal, citing concern for freedom of speech in the world's third-largest democracy. 

The proposal aims to revive a law from the era of former authoritarian ruler Suharto that was used to silence dissidents with jail sentences and fines. 

British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Sunday he wanted to use a four-day trade mission to southeast Asia to spur lucrative business deals and to forge new political alliances to counter Islamist extremism. 

Container ships dot the horizon off the coast of Jakarta, as cranes and labourers work on an ambitious, economy-boosting project to expand the port network in the world's largest archipelago nation.

Indonesia?s proposed ban on sending domestic workers to the Middle East will force women seeking an escape from poverty to migrate illegally, and put them at greater risk of human trafficking, a rights campaigner said on June 17. 

Two Islamic parties have proposed legislation that would ban all consumption of alcoholic drinks and bring jail terms of up to two years for offenders in Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population. 

BELGRADE - Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic sent a telegram of condolences to Indonesian President Joko Widodo over the tragic plane crash, the Serbian government Office for cooperation with the media released.

Jakarta governor Joko Widodo is expected to be declared the winner of Indonesia's disputed presidential election this week but his rival, ex-general Prabowo Subianto, is set to mount a legal challenge that could prolong the political deadlock.