Jakarta – The appointment of Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa as Finance Minister replacing Sri Mulyani Indrawati marks a new chapter in Indonesia's fiscal politics. Instead of bringing optimism, he gives rise to concerns about the direction of the management of state finances.

Antara, Nabire – The Siriwini Bawah Bridge, which connects Nabire City with Nabire Port in Central Papua, collapsed following a magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck the region early Friday morning.

In addition, several buildings were reported damaged, while internet networks in Nabire Regency also experienced disruptions.

Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government urges the public not to conclude that there have been cases of enforced disappearance during the late August protests. This comes in response to the failure to locate two individuals, Reno Syachputra Dewo and Muhammad Farhan Hamid, after the protests in Jakarta.

Antara, Jakarta – The Jakarta Environmental Agency sprayed 4,000 liters of water mist in several strategic locations to help reduce air pollution. The effort is part of the pre-events leading up to the Jakarta Eco Future Fest (JEFF) 2025.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) and the government, along with the Regional House of Representatives (DPD), have agreed on 67 bills to be included in the Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) for 2026.

Jakarta – Yurike Sanger, the seventh wife of Indonesia's founding president Sukarno, has died in California at the age of 80.

She passed away on Wednesday evening local time while receiving treatment at a hospital in San Bernardino, near Los Angeles. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Jakarta – The Central Java Police have pledged to involve the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) in their investigation of the suspicious death of Iko Juliant Junior, a University of Semarang (Unnes) law student who died after participating in an anti-government protest last month.

Hanif Musyaffa, Alfida Rizky Febrianna, Jakarta – Erick Thohir has been officially sworn in as youth and sports minister (Menpora), replacing Dito Ariotedjo, marking his departure from the post of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) minister. The reshuffle has sparked debate, particularly as it leaves the SOEs Ministry seat vacant.

Aqila Izatul Rahman, Jakarta – The Association of All Indonesian Workers (Aspirasi) welcomes the government's policy to expand tax incentives for employees with incomes below Rp10 million. As part of the economic stimulus, the coverage of income tax incentives (PPh) under Article 21 has been expanded to include workers in the hotel, restaurant, and catering sectors.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) reported that bank lending grew 7.56 percent year-on-year in August 2025, marking a slight pickup from July's 7.03 percent. However, the central bank said credit expansion remains insufficient to power stronger economic growth.

Intan Setiawanty, Jakarta – The Indonesian Association of Online Media (AMSI) has condemned Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman's Rp200 billion civil lawsuit against a media company, PT Tempo Inti Media Tbk.

Antara, Surabaya – The East Java Police secured 997 individuals suspected of being involved in violent demonstrations within the province from August 29 to September 16.

Christine Rovoi, PMN – Two men have been charged in an Australian court for allegedly trafficking guns and ammunition to a group of armed rebels after they kidnapped a New Zealand pilot and held him in captivity in West Papua for almost two years.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa is facing mounting expectations as the government prepares to channel Rp 200 trillion ($12.09 billion) into state-owned banks (Himbara).

Reynas Abdila, Jakarta – A number of activists being detained at the Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police (Polda) detention centre have launched a joint hunger strike. One of those on the hunger strike is Syahdan Husein, the administrator of Gejayan Memanggil (Gejayan Calling).

Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – Newly appointed Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir said Wednesday he remains chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) for now, but his future in the role will be determined by FIFA.

Jakarta – Online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers remain divided over commission fees charged by ride-hailing platforms. However, once they understand the deductions, most prioritize higher booking volumes over commission rates, a new survey shows.

Dili (Reuters) – East Timor's lawmakers have agreed to scrap plans to provide lifetime pension allowances for themselves, they said Wednesday, bowing to pressure from thousands of students who have staged demonstrations against the plans since Monday.

In a country long rich with visual symbolism, the use of colour to express one's dissatisfaction with the government seems to be gaining popularity.

Responding to the government's decision not to form a Joint Fact Finding Team (TGPF) related to a series of demonstrations that claimed at least eleven fatalities at the end of August, Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid, said:

Jakarta – The National Police have submitted a request to Interpol headquarters in France to issue a Red Notice for business tycoon Mohammad Riza Chalid, who remains at large after he was named as a suspect in a high-profile corruption case linked to state-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina.

Surabaya – The East Java Regional Police and its officers have confiscated 11 books from protesters involved in demonstrations that turned violent in Surabaya and Sidoarjo on August 29-31.

Several of these books have been linked to the riots that occurred during the wave of demonstrations in Indonesia last August, including several areas in East Java.

Ahmad Syarif Syechbubakr – The protests across Indonesia that began on August 25 and peaked on August 31 resulted in ten deaths, at least three people reported missing, hundreds of cars destroyed, and several government buildings burned. Current discussions largely focus on the aftermath of the violence and the demands of the protesters.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – Indonesia's West Java Regional Police have revealed the involvement of a group with anarchist leanings in the wave of demonstrations that erupted at the end of August, which escalated into riots and caused widespread damage.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Head of the Information Bureau of the Secretariat General at the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Frega Wenas, stated that the involvement of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) in securing the House of Representatives (DPR) building is part of their assistance task to the police.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – Chairperson of the Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo), Shinta Kamdani, hopes the government's economic stimulus could address the dual needs of maintaining people's purchasing power while also strengthening production capacity. She cautioned about several prerequisites to ensure that the stimulus will deliver real impacts.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Hundreds of students in the Banggai Islands Regency, South Sumatra, are suspected to have suffered poisoning after consuming free nutritious meals (MBG) on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. As of Thursday morning, a total of 251 students from elementary to high school have been rushed to the Trikora Salakan Regional General Hospital (RSUD).

Ilona Estherina, Jakarta – The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Budget Committee has approved an increase to the 2026 state budget deficit, raising it from Rp638.8 trillion to Rp689.1 trillion.

Vedro Imanuel Girsang, Jakarta – The Jakarta Metro Police have confirmed that two individuals who were reported missing amid recent protests have been found. The two men, Bima Permana Putra and Eko Purnomo, were located outside of Jakarta. Police concluded that the pair had left their homes voluntarily.

Nabiila Azzahra, Jakarta – Indonesian activist Syahdan Husein, a spokesperson for the Gejayan Memanggil movement, has been on a hunger strike for a week while detained at Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya). He is protesting the arrest of several activists and demanding their release.

Jakarta – Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin held a private meeting with Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Sufmi Dasco Ahmad ahead of President Prabowo Subianto's announcement of a fresh cabinet reshuffle.

The two senior politicians held the meeting inside the House compound on Tuesday night in what Sjafrie described as "a display of unity."

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Indonesian Defense Ministry has been allocated a total budget of Rp187.1 trillion for 2026. Brigadier General Frega Wenas, Head of the Defense Ministry's Information Bureau, stated that safeguarding the nation's sovereignty requires substantial funds.

Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta – Food poisoning incidents continue to plague the Indonesian government's free nutritious meal (MBG) program.

The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) reported that at least 4,000 students have fallen ill after consuming meals from the program in the past eight months.

Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ministry of Defense has responded to the alleged smuggling of firearms by Australian citizens supplied to the combatants of the Free Papua Movement-National Liberation Army (TPNPB-OPM).

Denny Gunawan, Ari Pasek, James Christian and Wibawa Hendra Saputera – The year 2025 begins with persistent global geopolitical tensions. The war between Ukraine and Russia drags on, conflict in the Middle East is heating up, and the United States-China trade war continues. All of this could send shockwaves through the global energy market – including in Indonesia.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Amid rising anti-refugee sentiment in various regions across Indonesia, the Medan city administration has reaffirmed its commitment to a humanitarian approach by continuing to allow asylum seekers to temporarily reside in the city while they await resettlement in third countries.

Agencies, Jakarta – The Constitutional Court was scheduled to rule on Wednesday on challenges to the revision the Indonesian Military (TNI) law allowing a greater armed forces role in civilian affairs, among the sources of anger that have stoked widespread anti-government protests.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has decided against forming an independent government investigative team to look into the riots that occurred in the last week of August 2025. This announcement was made by Yusril Ihza, the Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Security Affairs.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – A melting pot of mostly low-income households from diverse cultural backgrounds, the fishing village of Cilincing in North Jakarta is also home to dozens of undocumented children who lack access to basic rights.

Dili, Timor Leste – Timor Leste's parliament has bowed to public pressure and dropped a plan to buy SUVs for lawmakers in one of southeast Asia's poorest nations, but sceptical protesters returned to the streets on Wednesday.

Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono said 30 hectares of rice fields faced crop failures due to Vale Indonesia's oil distribution pipe leak in Lioka Village, Towuti, East Luwu, South Sulawesi.

Ananda Teresia, Jakarta – An Indonesian court ruled on Wednesday that parliament had followed proper process in passing contentious revisions to the country's military law, rejecting legal challenges to legislation that had sparked protests and condemnation.

Antara, Jakarta – The number of cases of violence against women and children in Jakarta has been on the rise every year since 2023. The Jakarta Provincial Government recorded that more than 1,500 women and children have become victims of violence from January to mid-September 2025.

Daniel Ahmad Fajri, Jakarta – Civil Society Coalition slams Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin's backing for the deployment of military personnel to safeguard the House of Representatives (DPR) complex.

Yerica Lai, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto announced another round of cabinet shake-up on Wednesday, just a week after his first major reshuffle, appointing both new and familiar faces to fill vacant and newly established posts.

Niniek Karmini and Achmad Ibrahim, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday appointed a former rival as the new security minister following deadly protests that have been viewed as one of the toughest tests for his presidency.

Bernard Loesi – Terrorism remains a persistent threat to nations around the world. Indeed, the Global Terrorism Index, an annual chronicle of terrorism trends, found in its latest report that the number of countries that experienced attacks rose to 66 in 2024 – the most since 2018.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers associated with the Online Ojek Drivers Association Garda Indonesia will hold a protest in Jakarta, Indonesia, today.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Women's Alliance (API) held a flower-laying action in front of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police (Polda Metro Jaya) Headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday September 12 as an expression of their demand for the release of Lokataru Foundation Director Delpedro Marhaen and his comrades who are currently being detained.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Indonesia's Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) recorded positive performance in the metal, machinery, transportation equipment, and electronics (ILMATE) industry sector in the first half of 2025. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in this sector reached 5.19 percent annually, higher than the 4.89 percent growth in the same period the previous year.