Antara, Jakarta – A new study by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has found that rainwater in Jakarta contains hazardous microplastic particles, underscoring growing concerns over urban pollution and its environmental and health effects.

Ja'han Jones – During his trip last week to the Middle East, Donald Trump set off alarms stateside when he was caught on a hot mic talking to President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia about his request to meet with the president's son Eric, who's not a government official.

Jakarta – An "eco-city", a mining complex, and a massive project to grow food and fuel are all part of an Indonesian growth drive that activists allege is causing deforestation and dispossession.

Junaidi Hanafiah, Central Tapanuli, Indonesia – Since it was first described by scientists in 2017, the Tapanuli orangutan, one of the world's rarest great apes, was believed to live only in the Batang Toru forest of Indonesia's North Sumatra province.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto celebrates his 74th birthday today, October 17, 2025.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Military said it killed 14 Papuan fighters during an operation to free a village from the control of separatists this week and residents had welcomed its troops.

Chandra Adi Nurwidya, Yogyakarta – Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the Sultan and Governor of Yogyakarta, has expressed disappointment over the Rp 700 billion ($42 million) reduction in central government funding for the province, a senior official said on Thursday.

Anna O'Connor – Timorese President Jose Ramos Horta has honoured the members of China's 10th medical aid team with the Medal of Merit in recognition of their contributions to the country's health sector, reports the Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Antara, Jakarta – Danantara Investment Management Agency has announced that it will soon allocate investments to the Indonesian stock market.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – The Ministry of Investment and Downstream/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) recorded a total investment realization of Rp491.4 trillion in the third quarter of 2025. This figure reflects a growing trend, particularly in downstream investment, which now accounts for 30% of the total realization for the quarter.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Maman Abdurrahman, has sparked controversy by proposing that local entrepreneurs should produce counterfeit or knock-off branded bags.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia is on track to achieve up to eight percent economic growth, driven by his flagship Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program that he claims is already feeding 35 million people a day, the equivalent of "seven Singapores," while creating millions of new jobs.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Hospitals and clinics across Jakarta and surrounding regions have reported a recent uptick in patients showing flu-like symptoms.

Similar surges have also been recorded abroad, including in Malaysia, where thousands of cases have forced several schools to temporarily close.

Antara, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said Wednesday that a combination of capitalism and socialism would suit Indonesia's economic system the best.

Fachrizal Baladraf, Maidina Rahmawati and Erasmus AT Napitupulu – Imagine the horror: as students were praying, the concrete structure above them suddenly collapsed. The main building of the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School (pesantren) in Sidoarjo, East Java, crumbled on 29 September 2025, trapping hundreds inside.

Nick Sas, Vonia Vieira, Rory Callinan – Walking in the same dirt his father did 50 years ago brews a stew of emotions for Evan Shackleton. This is the dirt, in the Timor-Leste border town of Balibo, where his father laid his last footprints.

The Indonesian government's ambitious National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke has entered a critical phase marked by escalating conflict between indigenous landowners and corporations backed by state authority, with customary land seizures now accompanied by police criminalization of community members resisting plantation development on their ancestral territories.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Traditional Fishermen's Union (KNTI) highlights the declining welfare of national fishermen in recent years. The Chair of KNTI, Dani Setiawan, said the Fishermen's Exchange Rate (NTN) has been decreasing since 2022.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has raised questions about the large sum of government funds piling up in fixed bank deposits. According to his records, the central and regional government funds in the form of fixed deposits were at Rp204.1 trillion and Rp204.2 trillion in December 2023 and December 2024, respectively.

Hendrik Yaputra – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has asked the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Nusantara Investment Authority (BPI Danantara) to downsize the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) from 1,000 to 200-240 companies.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has launched the People's School (Sekolah Rakyat) initiative aimed at breaking the cycle of extreme poverty in Indonesia through access to quality education.

Rafiqa Qurrata A'yun and Tim Lindsey (The Conversation) – Mass demonstrations against the greed of politicians led to protests in late August across Indonesia, calling for major reforms to the political system and police force. Civil society groups played a key role in these events.

Hanaa Septiana, Jakarta – All victims of the collapse of Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Buduran, Sidoarjo have been identified. In total, there are 63 identified bodies. The head of the Medical and Health Division of the East Java Regional Police, Commissioner Pol. Dr.

Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – The Indonesian government should consider lowering its value-added tax (VAT) rate to strengthen competitiveness in Southeast Asia and narrow the gap with Vietnam, which has posted its fastest economic growth in a decade, a retail industry leader said on Thursday.

Antara, Jakarta – The Jakarta provincial government is stepping up its response to extreme heat, launching weather modification efforts, accelerating tree-planting programs, and warning residents to limit outdoor activity as temperatures in the capital hit 35 degrees Celsius this week.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – A recent report from Climate Rights International (CRI) urges the Indonesian government and companies in the mining sector, particularly nickel, to immediately stop violating the rights of local communities, clean up air and water pollution, and gradually phase out the use of captive coal.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has allowed foreigners to take leadership roles at Indonesia's state-run enterprises, especially if they are up to the job.

Jakarta – The policy disarray in the energy sector is increasingly concerning. After causing public unease through restrictions on the distribution of three-kilogram cooking gas canisters, now the intervention by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia in relation to fuel import quota for private gas stations has caused new turmoil.

Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – In a new report, marine activists are demanding restoration efforts from nickel miners and the Indonesian government for affected areas of Raja Ampat while also urging authorities to enforce the ban on mineral extraction in coastal and small island regions.

Jakarta – Following the upcoming return of over 28,000 fossils from the Netherlands, the government is broadening its repatriation efforts to include artifacts currently held in Germany and other European countries, marking a significant step in Indonesia's campaign to reclaim its heritage from abroad.

Hammam Izzuddin, Jakarta – Indonesia's Aceh Regional Police has established 94 drug-free villages (KBDN) across all regencies and cities. The Aceh Police Chief Inspector General Marzuki Ali Barsyah stated that these villages could serve as centers for narcotics education and early detection by involving the community.

Kennedy Muslim and Burhanuddin Muhtadi – Almost a year into office, Indonesia's central government must balance its ambitions against rising public discontent. There is still time to right the ship.

Silpester Kasipka, Jayapura – The Papuan Journalist Justice and Safety Advocacy Coalition (KAKKJ) held a peaceful action in front of the Jubi media editorial offices on Jalan SPG Taruna Bakti in Waena, Jayapura city, on Thursday October 16.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto mentioned the number of food poisoning cases related to the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) in front of global Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). The Head of State mentioned that the food poisoning victims were 0.0007 percent of the 35.4 million MBG beneficiaries.

Rebecca Tan and Winda Charmila – When President Donald Trump proclaimed an end to the war in Gaza on Monday, he was flanked by leaders from the Middle East and Europe as well as, at the corner of that historic stage in Egypt, a guest from elsewhere: Prabowo Subianto, the president of Indonesia.

Deni Friawan, Jakarta – What do President Prabowo Subianto and his newly appointed Finance Minister, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, have in common? The answer lies in their shared confidence that Indonesia can achieve significantly higher economic growth than it has in recent decades.

Muhammad Farhan, Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa clarified on Tuesday that the reported return of Rp 70 trillion ($4.2 billion) in unused funds by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program did not come from the official state budget but from an additional funding proposal that was never approved.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto believes that the Rp10,000 (US$0.60) per portion budget for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program is sufficient to provide a complete and nutritious menu, including chicken and eggs.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – The Finance Ministry announced on Tuesday that the government had rolled out Rp 192.2 trillion (approximately $11.6 billion) in energy subsidies and compensation as of early October this year.

Keith Anthony Fabro – Off the western coast of Sumatra, the Mentawai Islands rise from the Indian Ocean in a patchwork of emerald forests and winding rivers. The canopy shelters endemic macaques and gibbons, hornbills and orchids, while coastal villages still echo with rituals that tie people to the land and sea.

Jakarta – Indonesian television network Trans7 has issued a public apology following widespread backlash over a broadcast about Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) that many viewers said insulted Muslim clerics and religious culture.

On 23 September 2025, police officers from the Jayapura Police arbitrarily detained thirteen members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) in the Sentani area while they were distributing leaflets to announce an upcoming peaceful demonstration marking International Farmers' Day (24 September 2025).

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Hundreds of alumni from Islamic boarding schools gathered at the Transmedia building in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday morning, October 15, 2025, in a protest titled "Silaturahim dan Meruwat Trans7" (Strengthening and Nurturing Trans7).

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has issued a new decree to restart international carbon emission trading after a four year hiatus.

The country issued carbon market rules in 2021 that focused on compliance carbon markets rather than transactions in voluntary markets.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – A group of supporters of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka are planning to establish a cyber team. Their aim is to counter the narrative regarding the free nutritious meal program (MBG) which they believe is being slandered on social media.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Around Indonesian sixty women staged a symbolic picnic in front of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) building in Jakarta on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. They spread picnic mats and shared home-cooked meals of rice, meat, fruits, and vegetables, turning their lunch into a peaceful protest.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has found himself at the centre of global attention – and domestic debate – at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt, a high-level gathering aimed at ending hostilities and planning reconstruction in the war-torn enclave.

Jakarta – A group of mothers, young people and women who are members of the Voices of Indonesian Mothers (Suara Ibu Indonesia) are urging the government to halt the free nutritious meals (MBG) program following cases of mass poisoning in various regions.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – The Inspector General of the Jakarta Metro Police, Asep Edi Suheri, announced a major collaborative effort to maintain security and public order in the capital, inviting approximately 5,000 members from various mass organizations to partner with the force.

Jakarta – Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin on Wednesday held a meeting with senior politician and chairman of the NasDem Party Surya Paloh at the ministry's headquarters in Central Jakarta.