Muhammad Ghafur Fadillah, Jakarta – The operator of KFC Indonesia, Fast Food Indonesia (FAST), has closed 19 outlets and laid off about 400 employees by September 2025, as part of a network efficiency and restructuring strategy.

The move follows the closure of 47 outlets in 2024, leaving KFC with a total of 715 restaurants nationwide last year.

Reza Hery Pamungkas, Jakarta – Indonesian police have arrested a 22-year-old man, identified by his initials WFT, who claimed to be a hacker operating under the alias "Bjorka." He is accused of breaching data belonging to 4.9 million bank customers and attempting to sell it on the dark web.

Indonesia, West Papua – Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has called on the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to consider the threats facing the traditional economies of the people of West Papua.

Jakarta – We welcome the police reform agenda recently announced by both President Prabowo Subianto and National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo. However, without understanding the circumstances behind the push for reform, we will end up taking the plan for granted and repeating the historical mistake made nearly 30 years ago.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto awarded honors to dozens of Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) soldiers and units from the deck of the KRI dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat-992 warship during the Presidential Inspection in Teluk Jakarta on Thursday, October 2, 2025.

Heather Physioc, Nusa Penida, Indonesia – Two young conservation workers rattle up on a motorbike and dismount at the edge of a coconut grove. Picking through husks, fallen fronds and stray plastic bottles, they scan the canopy, waiting in stillness.

Radhiyya Indra, Jakarta – Parents are growing increasingly concerned about the government's free nutritious meals program for schoolchildren amid a spike in food poisoning cases nationwide, with many fearing their children could suffer food poisoning next.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – The government still owes vendors almost Rp 400 billion or around $24 million from national sports events back in 2021, according to tourism associations, citing that the late repayments had taken a toll on the industry.

Eugene Mark – Political symbols used in recent protests in Indonesia have underscored a paradox: the more authorities tried to diminish their use, the more power they derived.

Indonesia, West Papua – The systematic militarisation of West Papua's highland regions since August 2025 represents an unprecedented transformation of civilian territories into military operation zones, with implications for armed conflict escalation, natural resource extraction, and population displacement.

Jakarta – At least two protesters remain missing more than a month after the string of deadly demonstrations in Jakarta in late August, with rights groups raising suspicions over their forced disappearance by security forces and calling for an intensified search for them.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia's exports to the United States fell 12.39 percent in August compared to the previous month as Washington's punitive tariffs began to bite.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Even as UNESCO hails Raja Ampat as a global conservation model, nickel mining threatens to carve up its forests and coral reefs.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has successfully reached an agreement with Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX), the parent company of PT Freeport Indonesia.

Sidoarjo – Rescuers detected "no more signs of life" at a collapsed boarding school in Sidoarjo, East Java, where 59 people were believed missing days after it gave way, an official said Thursday, raising fears no more survivors would be found.

Part of the multi-story boarding school suddenly collapsed on Monday as students gathered for afternoon prayers.

Ananda Teresia, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has begun producing multivitamins to be distributed to children through its free meals program, an official said on Wednesday, the latest expansion of the military into civilian life under President Prabowo Subianto.

Jakarta – State energy firm Pertamina will divert fuel to supply some areas on Sumatra following a fire at its Dumai refinery, a company official said on Thursday, adding there were no supply disruptions.

Samira Homerang Saunders and David Whyte – West Papua is home to one of the world's most important rainforests – third only to the Amazon and Congo basins. It is home to a plethora of species not found anywhere else on earth and its resource-rich lands, forests and mountains have been home to the Indigenous West Papuan people for more than 50,000 years.

Sigit Zulmunir, Jakarta – Karisa, a toddler from Kadungora District, Garut Regency, West Java, was found lying unconscious in the treatment room of the local community health center. She is suspected to have been poisoned after consuming free nutritious meal.

Akmalal Hamdhi, Jakarta – Indonesia's consumer prices reversed a brief deflation in August, rising 0.21 percent month-on-month in September 2025 and 2.65 percent year-on-year, data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) showed Wednesday.

Iman Rahman Cahyadi, Jakarta – A string of earthquakes shook Indonesia over the past 24 hours, including a magnitude 6.5 quake off East Java that damaged homes and sent residents fleeing late Tuesday night, according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday detained former CEO of state-owned gas company Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN), Hendi Prio Santoso, on allegations of accepting bribes linked to a gas sale-and-purchase deal with private distributor Inti Alasindo Energi.

On 18 September 2025, at approximately 01:30 am, a fatal hit-and-run occurred at the Lokpon-Poumako intersection in Timika, Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province. The victim, Mr Santo Serew, 28, of Asmat origin, was struck and killed instantly by a truck transporting timber to the port of Poumako.

Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – More than 6,500 Indonesian students have fallen ill from suspected food poisoning linked to the government's flagship Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) between January and September, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) told lawmakers on Wednesday.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Indonesia's Association of Education and Teachers (P2G) has criticized the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for issuing Circular Letter No. 5 of 2025, which provides incentives for teachers tasked with supervising the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program in schools.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia saw a double-digit growth in its palm oil exports this year as the price of the country's top commodity soars, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – The Central Jakarta District Court has postponed the trial over a lawsuit concerning the August 2025 riotous demonstration after the defendants and their legal representatives failed to appear in court on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – The billboard featuring a photo of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto alongside several heads of state supporting Israel went viral on social media. The post mentioned the Israel Regional Security Coalition launching a billboard campaign in support of U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the war in Gaza, Palestine.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto presided over the commemoration ceremony for Pancasila Sanctity Day 2025 at Lubang Buaya, East Jakarta, on October 1, 2025.

Sidoarjo, East Java – Parents were desperately searching for scores of missing teenage boys feared trapped under huge piles of concrete on Tuesday, after an Islamic boarding school collapsed in Indonesia as pupils were praying inside.

Jakarta – When launched in January, the free nutritious meals (MBG) program was celebrated as a bold response to chronic malnutrition, a lifeline for the nation's poorest children and a cornerstone of the "Golden Indonesia Vision 2045."

Ade Ridwan Yandwiputra, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has observed a decline in the number of corruption cases handled by law enforcement.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – Former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, revealed that two of his grandchildren in Yogyakarta suffered from food poisoning after consuming food provided by the government's Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program. One of his grandchildren required a four-day hospitalization.

Antara, Jakarta – Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said on Wednesday that his ministry has dispatched a team to investigate the alleged radioactive contamination of cloves flagged by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Two journalists allegedly suffered violence from Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) officers while reporting about the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) kitchen on Tuesday afternoon, September 30, 2025. The incident took place at SPPG Gedong 2, one of the MBG providers, in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta.

Jack Moore, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara – The land that villager Senum once called home has been swallowed by Indonesia's MotoGP circuit, part of a mega tourism project accused of forced evictions and rights abuses.

On 30 August 2025, at approximately 11:07 am, a serious incident occurred on Jalan Mayon in front of the TNI 754/ENK Kuala Kencana headquarters in the Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province. Indonesian military personnel driving a Yonif 754 vehicle were driving in the opposite direction, hitting a civilian motorcycle driven by Mr Paulinus Tabuni.

Jakarta – Despite claims of success with down-streaming of nickel having proved problematic here and there, the administration of Prabowo Subianto is continuing the policy inherited from the previous administration under Joko Widodo.

Phnom Penh – Indonesian ambassador to Cambodia Santo Darmosumarto has spotlighted growing demand for Indonesian products in Cambodia's northeastern provinces, urging local businesses to seize new trade opportunities with the region's largest economy.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Malaysian government has reduced the price of RON 95 fuel from RM2.05 to RM1.99 per liter, equivalent to around Rp7,864 per liter. This price is effective from Tuesday, September 30, 2025.

Aep Sopandi, Antara, Garut, West Java – Authorities in Garut announced an extraordinary event status on Wednesday after more than 280 elementary and high school students suffered food poisoning from government-provided meals, the latest in a string of incidents linked to the nationwide free nutritious meal program.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia posted a trade surplus of $5.49 billion in August 2025, marking its 64th consecutive month in the black since May 2020, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – A total of 121 students from SMK Negeri 1 Cihampelas, West Bandung Regency, reportedly suffered food poisoning after consuming meals provided under the government's Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.

One student, identified by the initials BR, was later reported dead, allegedly after eating the school meal.

Ravaged by a brutal military occupation, East Timor won its independence just over two decades ago. The young nation has built itself into a stable democracy, but poverty remains widespread.

Reza Hery Pamungkas, Jakarta – The Jakarta provincial government will charge a symbolic fare of Rp 80 (less than one US cent) across its public transport network on Oct. 5, in celebration of the Indonesian Military's (TNI) 80th anniversary.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ombudsman has uncovered irregularities in the procurement of raw materials for the government's free nutritious meal program (MBG), including the alleged falsification of premium rice quality by a food supplier.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Culture has encouraged the public to fly the national flag at half-mast on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, as part of the commemoration of Pancasila Sanctity Day on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – Two T-50i Golden Eagle fighter trainer aircraft, destined for the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU), are scheduled to arrive in Indonesia in November 2025.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto's promise to establish a fact-finding team to investigate the demonstrations in a number of regions has faded away to nothing. This cancellation will make it more difficult to investigate the involvement of those responsible for the mass violence at the end of August 2025.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – The National Nutrition Body (BGN) will provide incentives to teachers who assist in distributing the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, a policy outlined in Circular Letter Number 5 of 2025 issued on Monday, September 28, 2025.