Jakarta’s plan to expand smoke-free zones and tighten cigarette sales regulations has been met with strong pushback from business groups, who warn that the new rules could eat into revenues and disrupt livelihoods.

A new Jakarta Police program offering cash rewards to ojol (online motorcycle transportation drivers) who “help maintain road safety and monitor crimes” has been met with skepticism, with transport unions cautioning it could spark tensions and potential abuses of authority.

Jakarta only produces 34 Megawatt-peak (MWp) of electricity from solar, far from its 2030 target of 500 Mwp.

As quality education becomes increasingly vital for preparing children for the future, the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) has reopened its newly renovated Pattimura Elementary Campus, reaffirming its commitment to excellence, inclusivity and world-class learning amid rapidly changing times and a more complex environment for young learners.

Using two trucks equipped with “fog cannon”, the Jakarta administration sprayed water-based mist in the city’s streets and other crowded areas as an effort to disperse pollutants and clean up choking air pollution.

Several national figures, including former first lady Sinta Nuriyah Wahid and former religious affairs minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, have urged the police to release activists accused of inciting last month’s nationwide riots, arguing they were merely young people exercising their right to freedom of expression.

Compounding the everyday chronic traffic congestion, widespread utility works across Jakarta have triggered frustration among residents, with experts blaming poor planning and management behind these overrunning projects.

RDF plant in Rorotan is proof of the local government's commitment to garbage issues in Jakarta.

A melting pot of mostly low-income households from diverse cultural backgrounds, the fishing village of Cilincing in North Jakarta is also home to dozens of undocumented children who lack access to basic rights.

There will be 11 stations in the Greater Tangerang region of Tangerang city and Tangerang regency in the East-West line, while the North-South line will be extended to South Tangerang city.

As the specter of privatization again rises over the city’s utility service, a civil coalition is advocating for Jakartans concerned that the planned restructuring of PAM Jaya from a city-owned to a limited liability company will ultimately lead to commodification of the basic resource and further cut off access for the urban poor.

Blok M, once a haven for small traders and bargain hunters, is fast becoming a symbol of Jakarta’s gentrification, where its revival as a trendy transit-oriented hub has fueled soaring rents and forced long-time vendors out.

Jakarta City Council has come under public scrutiny over its lavish housing allowance, reportedly surpassing the benefits previously given to House of Representatives members, which sparked the recent weeklong protests nationwide.

Crowds, led by students, workers and rights groups, took to the streets of Jakarta last week to protest against MPs' housing allowances. Unrest spread across the country after a police vehicle hit and killed a motorcycle taxi driver at one rally.

The WFH directive had been in effect since Friday, following a surge in demonstrations triggered by the death of 21-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Affan Kurniawan. He was fatally struck on Thursday by a tactical police vehicle near the Senayan Legislative Complex in Central Jakarta when dispersing unruly crowds.

Policy inconsistencies, ad hoc measures and social factors like the perceived prestige of private vehicles are just some of the speed bumps on Jakarta's road to becoming a global city, according to a local official and urban experts.

Health authorities in Jakarta accelerate childhood vaccination following a surge in measles cases in its poor, crowded neighborhoods.

Protests over lawmakers' exorbitant housing allowance have escalated into angry crowds breaking into the homes of at least four officials, including the finance minister.

Hundreds of workers protested in front of the House of Representatives complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta on Thursday to demand a revision to the labor law and ways to ensure better work protection across the country.

The Jakarta administration’s plan to trim sidewalks along the heavily congested TB Simatupang road in South Jakarta has sparked widespread criticism, with critics warning it undermines pedestrian rights and contradicts the city’s vision of becoming a “global city”.

The Jakarta administration continues to stage job fairs in an effort to curb unemployment, despite criticism over the relatively low number of successful hires from past events, widely attributed to a mismatch between applicants’ skills and market needs.

While Jakarta governor Pramono Anung’s proposal for a night zoo offers the prospect of a new recreational experience and economic opportunities, experts caution that animal welfare must remain the top priority. 

Although the Bekasi quake caused no casualties or major structural damage, both the central government and local administrations across Greater Jakarta must remain alert to the risks of land-based quakes given West Java’s many active faults.

Jakarta is considered a good model for Car Free Day (CFD) activities because the city administration clearly separates spaces for exercising and economic activities.

A spate of train derailments this month has raised concerns over Indonesia’s railway safety and sparked renewed calls for greater investment in infrastructure maintenance, as experts warn that underfunding and poor oversight may be putting lives at risk.

After years in limbo, Kampung Bayam residents have finally agreed to relocate to a low-cost apartment complex designated for them despite concerns over high rent, as their temporary housing arrangement nears its end.

A renewed interest in traditional games has led to a shift from digital screens to schoolyards and playgrounds, as well as adults joining in on the fun at parks and festivals.

Jakarta is grappling with an alarming surge in fire incidents this year, with blazes tearing through densely packed neighborhoods and vital infrastructure, all while the city’s firefighting force struggles to keep up amid chronic understaffing.

As living costs rise and disposable income shrinks, many Jakartans are increasingly turning to malls not for shopping, but for strolling. Window shopping, once considered a casual pastime, has become a meaningful part of urban life, offering comfort and even emotional relief amid economic pressure.

Despite recent official data indicating a decline in the national poverty rate, the lived reality on the ground–particularly in urban centers like Jakarta–suggests a more sobering situation, as rising layoffs and the growing cost of living continue to erode household purchasing power.