Andrea Bocelli Responds to Calls to Cancel Indonesia Concerts Amid MUI Controversy
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli has responded to calls for his upcoming concerts in Indonesia to be cancelled, insisting that his performances are intended to celebrate music and humanity rather than promote any political agenda. The statement comes after the Indonesian Ulema Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia, or MUI) urged the government to cancel the singer’s planned […]
Indonesia Faces Regional Pressure as Forest Fire Haze Disrupts Singapore and Malaysia
Indonesia’s forest and land fires have once again affected neighbouring countries, prompting Singapore to introduce medical subsidies for haze-related illnesses and Malaysia to close schools in four districts of Selangor as air quality deteriorates. The recurring haze has also raised diplomatic concerns for Indonesia, which ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) on […]
Indonesia and Egypt Strengthen Ties with New Agreements, Including Visa Exemption
Indonesia and Egypt have agreed to expand bilateral cooperation across several sectors, including defence, trade, investment, maritime affairs and visa arrangements, following talks between their presidents in Jakarta. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi witnessed the exchange of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and bilateral agreements at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on […]
Bali Faces Fuel Crisis: Nightmare Queues at Petrol Stations
Bali is facing a fuel shortage, with long queues forming at petrol stations across the island as motorists struggle to find available supplies of Pertalite and Pertamax. The disruption has affected several areas, including Denpasar, Badung and Tabanan, with queues extending onto main roads and causing traffic congestion. On Monday, 12 October 2026, several petrol […]
Bali Deports Two Chinese Nationals Over Alleged Illegal Medical Practice
Bali immigration authorities have deported two Chinese nationals accused of practising medicine without valid permits at a private hospital in Denpasar. The individuals, identified by their initials QL, a 40-year-old woman, and LW, an 18-year-old man, were found to have worked as medical practitioners despite entering Indonesia on visitor visas, according to the Denpasar Immigration […]
Diplo Impressed by Indonesian Koplo Music During Bali Event
International DJ and music producer Diplo has shared his appreciation for a koplo music performance by DJ Habib Gunjat, a keyboardist from Southeast Sulawesi, following their collaboration at an event in Bali on Thursday, 8 October. Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, shared videos of the performance on his social media accounts, showing […]
Jennifer Coppen Sees Instagram Followers Surge After Indonesia Wins FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026
Indonesian influencer Jennifer Coppen has seen her Instagram following rise to 8.8 million after Indonesia won the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. The increase came amid heightened public attention towards the national football team and its players’ families, including Coppen, who is married to Indonesian defender Justin Hubner. Coppen shared her excitement over the milestone on […]
Olivia Dean, Jungle and St. Vincent Are Coming to LaLaLa Fest 2027
If your 2027 concert calendar is already looking busy, LaLaLa Fest has just given you another reason to keep January free. Olivia Dean has been announced as the headliner for LaLaLa Fest 2027 in Jakarta, marking her first performance in Indonesia and one of her first appearances in Southeast Asia. The British singer will take […]
LMI Consultancy Partners with Social Expat for Exclusive Benefits
At Social Expat, we believe settling into Indonesia is about more than visas, paperwork and business registration. It is also about meeting people, building connections and finding your community. That is why we have partnered with Lets Move Indonesia and LMI Consultancy to give their eligible clients a little more to enjoy. After more than […]
CCTV Shows Wall of Shoe Shop Destroyed by Explosion in Surabaya, Indonesia
CCTV footage has captured the moment an explosion at a restaurant in Pakuwon City, Surabaya, caused the wall of a neighbouring shoe shop to collapse, while the restaurant involved has apologised to residents and businesses affected by the incident. The explosion occurred at the San Antonio shopping complex in Mulyorejo, Surabaya, on Tuesday morning (6 […]