The Jakarta Globe, Jakarta – Former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has confirmed that he formally joined the Indonesian political party PSI on Oct. 14, 2025, ending months of speculation over his political ties with the party led by his youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep.

Agencies, Jakarta – Wildfires that tore through Kalimantan's vast tropical forests have piled pressure on critically endangered Bornean orangutans, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said Saturday.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition is urging the Ministry of Defence (Kemenhan) and the Ministry of for Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (PAN-RB) to stop the practice of requiring state civil servants (ASN) and civil servants (PNS) to take part in Basic Military Reserve Component Training (Latsarmil Komcad).

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua has lost two journalists who studied at Satya Wacana Christian University in Salatiga, Central Java. Joost Wellem Mirino and Hendrikus Abraham Msojo Ondi died in September 2026, leaving behind a legacy in Papua's journalism and civil society.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Strengthening household purchasing power and creating more jobs should be key priorities for Indonesia as President Prabowo Subianto's government enters its second year, the country's food and beverage industry association said.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's state electricity company PT PLN (Persero) revealed that its 159 data center customers consumed 2,378 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of energy.

Albert Williancoen, Jakarta – Mohammad Guruh Irianto Sukarnoputra, the youngest son of Indonesia's first president Soekarno and a prominent musician, choreographer and cultural figure, died on Saturday at the age of 73.

Guruh died at 4:16 a.m. at MRCCC Siloam Hospitals Semanggi in Jakarta, his family said in a message of condolence.

Avriella Adinda, Heru Yustanto, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ombudsman has uncovered a cluster of villa-like residences with varying room types, luxury facilities, alcohol bottles and several luxury cars inside Cibinong Class IIA Prison in Bogor, West Java, raising questions over whether some facilities were being commercially used by inmates.

On 29 July 2026, personnel of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), reportedly affiliated with Kodim 1715/Yahukimo, reportedly detained Mr Ekinus Magayang, 23, a civilian and student from Senyom Village, Kwelamdua District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan province.

Jakarta – Calls to review the fruit served under Indonesia's free nutritious meal program have emerged after a nine-year-old boy in Lampung died after choking on a longan fruit distributed as part of the initiative, marking the first reported death linked to the program.

Riri Rahayuningsih, Jakarta – Indonesia's House of Representatives' Budget Committee has backed the government's plan to impose an excise on packaged sugar-sweetened beverages starting in 2027, after the policy was repeatedly postponed.

Jannus TH Siahaan – The passing of the Agrarian Reform Law by the House of Representatives' (DPR) during a plenary session on September 22 has been hailed as marking a new chapter in national land law.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto claimed that he respects experts. He believes his words were often twisted to make it seem like he doesn't appreciate experts.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – Indonesia's settlement of Rp218.3 trillion ($12.15 billion) in crisis-era debt to Bank Indonesia has closed one financial chapter from the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, but economists say the government still faces a long-running challenge to recover money owed by banks and borrowers that received state support.

Adlet Seilkhanov Abtop – Kazakhstan and Timor-Leste have formally established diplomatic relations following a meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Qazinform News Agency reports via the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.

Manokwari, Jubi – Forest and land fires and drought are affecting Fakfak Regency in West Papua, disrupting school activities in Bomberai District and damaging farmers' crops in Tomage District.

Indonesia, West Papua – Five years after the attack on the Kisor military post, various districts in the Maybrat Regency remain under heavy military occupation. At least 15 military and police posts now operate inside villages, many of them in schools, clinics, village offices and family homes.

Rizka K, Tegar Nurfitra, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) and Banco Central de Timor-Leste (BCTL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), laying the groundwork for stronger cooperation between the central banks of Indonesia and Timor-Leste in payment innovation.

Tiana Haxton – More than 125,000 people are reported to have been displaced in West Papua as armed conflict escalates, but the real number is likely much higher.

A recent report from the Human Rights Monitor said military operations and armed violence have been particularly intense in the central highlands of Indonesian-ruled Papua region this year.

Edward Febriyatri Kusuma, Jakarta – Google has been ordered to pay 50% of the state losses in a corruption case involving the procurement of Chromebook laptops for Indonesia's education system, while former education minister Nadiem Makarim had his prison sentence reduced to nine years on appeal.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has formed a new institution, the National Peatland and Mangrove Management Agency (BPGMN). Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni announced the decision after a limited meeting on forest fire mitigation, attended by various experts in peatlands at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, today, Thursday, September 24, 2026.

Hanin Marwah, Jakarta – The name of former president Joko Widodo has emerged in the ongoing trial over alleged Hajj quota corruption for the period of 2023-2024. His name was mentioned by the former Director General of Hajj and Umrah Services (PHU) at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hilman Latief.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government's proposed free bank account program for citizens aged 17 and above will not be launched this year, as authorities refine the operational framework to ensure the new accounts remain active, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said.

Ridho Danu Prasetyo, Andi Muttya Keteng Pangerang, Jakarta – The Indonesian Workers' Struggle Grand Coalition (KBPBI) has threatened to stage a protest with much larger numbers if the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government do not seriously revise the draft Bill on Labour Protection.

Ren Qi and Zhang Li, Nanning – The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste's participation as a co-host and a member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at a recent trade expo in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has stimulated new potential for regional cooperation, officials from the Southeast Asian country said.

Theressia Silalahi, Jakarta – Indonesia is preparing a plan to make tuition free at state universities, with the government calculating the cost and assessing how the policy could be implemented within the state budget.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – A labor rally at Jakarta's Bundaran HI concluded peacefully on Thursday, with police praising workers for maintaining order during the demonstration.

Andy Home, London – Indonesia is learning that building a dominant position in the nickel market is the easy part. Leveraging its influence over supply to control prices is proving much trickier.

The country now accounts for over 60 percent of global output of a metal used by both stainless steel makers and electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturers.

Agencies, Jakarta – More than 170,000 respiratory cases were recorded in regions affected by haze in Indonesia, a health ministry official said Tuesday, as the country battles for weeks to control fires that caused the toxic smog.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Indonesia officially commissioned its first aircraft carrier, KRI Sriwijaya-100, into the Navy on Thursday, marking a major expansion of the country's maritime capabilities following the acquisition of the former Italian Navy vessel Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Police officers allegedly used physical violence against seven members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in two separate incidents in Jayapura City and Sentani, Jayapura Regency, Papua Province, on 11 and 13 August 2026.

Ridho Danu Prasetyo, Tri Susanto Setiawan, Jakarta – Protesters from the Agrarian Reform Movement Alliance (AGRA) held a demonstration to commemorate National Farmers Day 2026 in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Central Jakarta on Thursday afternoon September 24.

Medikantyo Adhikresna, Jakarta – The Indonesian Air Force will receive another 18 Rafale fighter jets in phased deliveries between 2027 and 2029 as the country continues to build up its fleet of French-made combat aircraft, a senior Air Force official said Wednesday.

Cases of food poisoning linked to the free nutritious meal (MBG) program in various regions should not end merely with the closure of kitchens or apologies from program operators. Every incident must be thoroughly investigated to establish the causes and identify those responsible.

Jakarta – Some 2,200 military personnel and civilian officials from 19 countries are taking part in a major disaster response exercise in Indonesia, the largest exercise under the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) framework in a decade in terms of personnel numbers.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's pledge for free public education is targeted to be fully realized by 2028, according to Said Abdullah, the chair of the House of Representatives (DPR) Budget Agency.

Iman Rahman Cahyadi, Jakarta – A prolonged eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau earlier this month added an estimated 32.8 hectares of land to the volcanic island in the Sunda Strait, the Geological Agency said Thursday, citing an analysis of Sentinel satellite imagery.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Jakarta – Indonesia's next general election is more than two years away, but political parties are already locking horns over key rules governing presidential nominations that may threaten to shut out independent contenders.

Isna Rifka Sri Rahayu, Tri Susanto Setiawan, Depok – Students from the University of Indonesia Faculty of Engineering (FTUI) staged a symbolic protest on Thursday September 24 dubbed #HITAMKANUI ("Blacken UI") to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the Semanggi II Tragedy.

Hayat Indriyatno, Yogyakarta, Indonesia – Communities living near Mount Ungaran in Indonesia's Central Java province have slammed plans to revive a geothermal power project there, saying it could threaten water supplies and farming livelihoods.

Indonesia, West Papua – Two new reports published in August 2026 by the Pusaka Foundation and Satya Bumi document what their authors describe as widespread violations of indigenous peoples' rights caused by the National Strategic Project (PSN) for the Food and Energy Estate Area (KPPE) in Merauke Regency, South Papua.

Achmad Udin, Batang – At least 276 people, ranging from a 10-month-old baby to elderly residents, fell ill in a suspected mass food-poisoning incident linked to Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals program in Batang, Central Java, local authorities said.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Investment in Indonesia has become more efficient at generating economic output over the past two years, but its ability to create jobs has weakened, according to Bank Central Asia (BCA) Chief Economist David Sumual.

Jakarta – Poltracking Indonesia released its latest survey on political party electability on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, with the Gerindra Party recording the highest electability at 23.2 percent.

Erfan Maruf, Jakarta – Maritime transport safety remains an issue for the archipelagic Indonesia as President Prabowo Subianto nears his second year.

Papuan human rights activists and civil society organisations have called for the protection of Mr Karel Fatem (see photo on top, source: LBH Kaki Abu), a Papuan prisoner allegedly affiliated with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), following a death sentence imposed during cassation proceedings before Indonesia's Supreme Court in early August 2026.

Antara, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ministry of Health recorded 174,694 cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in areas affected by forest and land fires between August 18 and September 21, of which 40,363 cases involved children under five.

On behalf of the ULMWP and the West Papuan people, I wholeheartedly condemn the brutal massacre of six West Papuan civilians by the Indonesian military in Yahukimo.

The rift between President Prabowo Subianto and Joko Widodo opens up possible scenarios for the 2029 General Election. Their alliance is bad for healthy politics. But a contest between the two would also be unhealthy for democracy. An alternative figure with a proven and commendable track record is needed to counterbalance or even defeat them.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – Archaeologist Harry Truman Simanjuntak criticized the substance of the new national history book titled "Sejarah Indonesia: Dinamika Kebangsaan dalam Arus Global," published by the Ministry of Culture. One of his concerns focuses on the first volume, which spans six chapters and 1,163 pages.