Indonesia’s new capital isn’t ready yet. The president is celebrating Independence Day there anyway

Associated Press

PENAJAM PASER UTARA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia is marking 79 years of independence with a ceremony in its future new capital of Nusantara, a city still under construction. Relocating the capital to Nusantara, on the island of Borneo, has been a long-delayed project, meant to ease the burdens on the congested and polluted Jakarta. Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and Cabinet ministers attended the ceremony on Saturday at the new “Garuda Presidential Palace,” built in the shape of the mythical eagle-winged Garuda protector figure. Construction of Nusantara has been slow, with deadlines missed. Widodo said earlier in the week that 8,000 guests would be invited but without adequate infrastructure in place, the number was later reduced to 1,300.