Indonesian Muslims

Pope Francis appealed Wednesday for religious unity to counter extremism and intolerance, as the longest tour of the 87-year-old's papacy got into full swing in Muslim-majority Indonesia.

On the first full day of his four-nation trip to the Asia-Pacific, the pontiff zeroed in on the role all faiths can play on flashpoint security issues.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received Indonesia's President-elect and incumbent Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto on Monday, noting that Serbia was interested in further strengthening of political dialogue as well as in developing and encouraging economic cooperation and cooperation in all fields of mutual importance.

Indonesians began voting for a new president Wednesday with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto the frontrunner to lead Southeast Asia's biggest economy despite concerns over his human rights record.

Thousands of public employees in Indonesia's capital, or half of its civil servants, were told to work from home starting Monday in a two-month trial aimed at improving the city's air quality, a government notice said.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that his country would invest in the development of Indonesia's new capital on Borneo island, which both nations share.

A shipment of medical equipment and medicines donated by the Turkish government to Indonesia for battling COVID-19 arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Aug. 8 evening.

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Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the medical aid consisted of 50 sets of ventilators and 600,000 boxes of medicine.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said that the location of the country's new capital is already chosen, Reuters reported.

It is an area between the regions of Kutai Kartanegara and North Penajam Paser, near the port city of Balikpapan, a two-hour flight from Jakarta, Mr Widodo said.

The new capital will be operational from 2024, reported NOVA TV. 

The capital of Indonesia will no longer be Jakarta, according to BGNES. Indonesian authorities will begin the capital move in 2021, Xinhua news agency quoted Indonesian Planning Development Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro.

Dozens of protesters were arrested in Indonesia after mass protests against the re-election of President Joko Widodo, the BBC reported.

Yesterday evening, the protests in the capital, Jakarta, began peacefully, but soon became furious, cars were set on fire, and protesters threw rocks at police using tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons.

Indonesia celebrated its 72nd Independence Day on Thursday with a flag hoisting ceremony and a cultural parade in capital Jakarta, Anadolu Agency reported. 

President Joko Widodo in traditional clothes led the flag-raising ceremony at the presidential palace.

It was attended by a large number of state officials, clerics, tribesmen and diplomats.