Faisal Maliki Baskoro, Jakarta – The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) has announced that the monthly inflation rate in October 2023 has dropped to 0.17 percent, a slight slowdown from the previous month's rate of 0.19 percent. The year-on-year inflation rate stands at 2.56 percent, in line with the central bank target.

Jayapura, Jubi – Foreign journalists facing restrictions when reporting in Papua is a significant factor impacting the state of journalism in the area.

Lucky Ireeuw, the chairman of the Jayapura Independent Journalists Alliance (AJI Jayapura), highlighted this issue during a journalism training program at the Jubi Editorial Office in Jayapura City on October 30, 2023.

Jayapura, Jubi – In an incident that unfolded in Maybrat Regency, the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) claimed to have destroyed a heavy construction vehicle and shot a member of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

Jayapura, Jubi – Jackub Fabian Skrzypsi, a Polish citizen convicted of treason, was granted parole on September 22, 2023, from the Abepura Prison in Papua's Jayapura City. His legal counsel, Latifah Anum Siregar, made this announcement on October 27, 2023.

Jakarta – Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has outspent all other candidates on social media advertising, spending a total of Rp 8.67 billion (US$543,983) so far on his campaign.

According to data from Meta Platform's Ad Library, Prabowo, who is also the country's defense minister, spent the social media advertising budget between August 2020 and October 2023.

Bernadette Christina, Jakarta – Some 200,000 hectares of oil palm plantations found in areas designated as forests in Indonesia are expected to be returned to the state to be converted back into forests, a government official said late on Tuesday.

Jakarta – Since February, about 15,000 people in Papua have been affected by famine, Amuma district in Yahukimo regency being the most affected area, with 23 deaths by October.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Wednesday broke ground on the construction of an airport in the country's new capital city, Nusantara.

Jokowi is this week expected to launch a total of 10 projects worth Rp 12.5 trillion ($783.85 million) in Nusantara, which Indonesia is building from scratch amid the jungles of Kalimantan.

Jakarta – The message that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo was trying to convey during a rare luncheon between a sitting president and the three men competing to replace him was clear: that he will be a neutral party in the upcoming presidential race. Yet, people are becoming even less convinced that the President is in fact capable of being impartial.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia is trying to get some investors to invest in its semiconductor industry, and Jakarta recently took a shot at attracting Dutch investors.

Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – The government announced on Tuesday that cross-border online trade of books, software, and music and film content priced at $100 or lower will be permitted.

Elan Suherlan, Jakarta – A couple has been arrested for distributing toxic homemade alcohol that claimed the lives of at least 14 people during a wedding celebration in the West Java town of Subang over the weekend.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – The presidential and vice presidential ticket of Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and Solo Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka from the Indonesia Onward Coalition (KIM) does not discuss the issue of the Papua region in its vision and mission document.

Novianti Setuningsih, Jakarta – Human rights activist (HAM) Usman Hamid has alluded to the track records of the presidential and vice presidential candidates (capres-cawapres), in particular Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who did not include a program to resolve past human rights cases in their vision and mission.

Gandhi Armansyah, Jakarta – Neighbors were horrified to discover the bodies of Hamka Rusdi, aged 50, and his two-year-old son, Abid Qushayi, in their home in North Jakarta, while Hamka's wife, Hikmah Fujianti, and their four-year-old daughter, Afidah Dzakiah, were still residing there despite the overpowering stench of decay.

Bekasi – A court in Bekasi, West Java, opted for life imprisonment rather than the death penalty for three convicted murderers who poisoned at least three people with tainted coffee.

Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – Activists have reported four companies – two industrial forest firms and two palm oil firms – to the local police over fires in their concessions in Central Kalimantan as Indonesia is grappling with its worst fire episode since 2019.

Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR) agreed to the revised provision in KPU Regulation No. 19 of 2023 on the presidential age limit for running candidates of the general elections.

Antara, Jakarta – Denpasar's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the drought in Bali has spread from 26 districts to 35 districts in November 2023.

"No rain has fallen on this region for 121 days," said the Coordinator of Data and Information of BMKG I Nyoman Gede Wiryajaya as quoted by Antara on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.

Kukuh S. Wibowo, Jakarta – The Disease Prevention and Control DG at the Health Ministry Mexi Rein Rondonuwu stated that so far, monkeypox or mpox is contained in Jakarta, West Java, and Banten.

"Until today, there are three additional cases in Jakarta. The rest are located in West Java and Banten," he said as quoted by Antara on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

Desty Luthfiarini, Jakarta – Metro Jaya police will deploy 50 of its members starting today, Wednesday, November 1, 2023, to conduct the reinstated emissions test ticketing. The personnel are stationed in various raid locations in Jakarta.

Asad Asnawi, West Sumbawa, Indonesia – More than a decade ago, Amiruddin would climb aboard a small fishing boat under the cover of night armed with around 10 bombs.

Basten Gokkon, Jakarta – The wild populations that sustain a significant Indonesian fishery are more depleted than the government had estimated, as highlighted by a recent scientific study. The authors have called for a reevaluation of the method used to assess fish stocks to address the overexploitation of these populations.

Hariz Baharudin, Manado – There are three hopefuls in Indonesia vying for the top office, but private car driver Daniel Grega from Manado, North Sulawesi, is not able to recall their full names, much less their political leanings or what parties they belong to.

Jakarta – Indonesia has urged countries worldwide to collaborate and unite to tackle potential international security risks.

Speaking in the first plenary session of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Monday, Indonesian Deputy Defense Minister M. Herindra said that all countries share a responsibility to support each other, especially during difficult times.

Jakarta – Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno will further tighten regulations for glass bridge construction at tourist attractions after a deadly incident at The Geong in Banyumas, Central Java.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo announced that the Indonesian government would dispatch its first batch of humanitarian aid to Palestine.

"Indonesia will send humanitarian aid adjusted to the demands and needs of the Palestinians," said Jokowi. "The first batch will be deployed this week."

Bandung – Twelve people died and four were in critical condition after drinking illegal bootleg liquor, authorities said Monday, the latest deaths caused by home-made alcohol in Indonesia.

In the country, high taxes make it expensive and some people can turn to potentially dangerous home-made liquor.

Jakarta – The National Police counter-terrorism unit has arrested 59 suspected militants including some loyalists of the Islamic State-inspired Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) suspected of planning to disrupt an upcoming election, a unit spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Jakarta – In the past few weeks, passengers arriving at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, received an unfriendly welcome in the form of thick smoke during landing.

A blanket of dense smoke billowing slowly in the wind is not a sight anyone wants to see outside the window of their airplane before touchdown.

Aditya Hadi, Jakarta – The government's push to develop mineral processing industries has prompted Rp 151.7 trillion (US$9.53 billion) of investment this year, according to government data, for the construction of nickel and copper smelters among other things, but the Industry Ministry says investment in the petrochemical industry has been subpar.

Yohana Belinda, Jakarta – The government has kickstarted the development of the Jakarta light rail transit (LRT) extension to Manggarai, South Jakarta, which is set to be completed in 2026.

Jakarta – As Indonesia transitions from the dry season to the rainy season, Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) head Dwikorita Karnawati issued a warning to the public about the potential for extreme weather.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – The government will roll out a new cash aid program for underprivileged families to help them deal with the impacts of the El Nino weather phenomenon, which has caused prolonged dry spells and stoked concerns of food shortages in many areas throughout the country.

On October 27, 8 progressive and socialist organisations issued a joint statement in support of Palestine and its resistance against Israeli colonialism. Two of the organisations, Socialist Union (Perserikatan Sosialis, PS) and Solidarity Net (Solidaritas Net) were participants in the recent Dilemmas of Humanity Conference in Johannesburg.

Ihsan Reliubun, Jakarta – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle or PDIP politician Aria Bima urged that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo remain neutral during the 2024 general elections.

Antara, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has warned Indonesia's acting regional heads to be prepared for rising world oil prices due to the ongoing war between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel.

For more than two decades now, the mothers, family, and friends of 13 anti-dictatorship activists who were detained and then disappeared between 1997 and 1998, hold vigils known as the kamisan, every Thursday, outside Indonesia's Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

Ihsan Reliubun, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) has been sued on account of violating KPU's regulations after passing Gibran Rakabuming Raka's registration for vice presidential candidacy. The lawsuit was submitted by Brian Demas Wicaksono to the Central Jakarta District Court.

Yohanes Maharso Joharsoyo, Jakarta – Indonesia and Timor Leste inked a bilateral agreement to support Timor Leste's membership at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The agreement was signed during the Senior Official Meeting WTO in Geneva on October 23, 2023.

Andika Dwi, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi reminded the state civil apparatus (ASN) to be neutral ahead of the 2024 general election. He called on civil servants not to take sides with any of the presidential and vice presidential candidates contesting in the upcoming election.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo has proposed General Agus Subiyanto, the recently appointed Army Chief of Staff, to assume the role of Armed Forces Commander, House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani announced on Tuesday.

This development comes a mere six days after the president inaugurated Agus as the new Army Commander.

Jakarta – The two-month remote working for Jakarta public employees that ended recently was largely ineffective in reducing severe traffic congestion and air pollution in the capital, analysts have said.

Jakarta – Senior economist Faisal Basri has testified that he once met with the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (Menko Marves) and warned him of a potential conflict of interest related to the coal extractive industry.

Jayapura, Jubi – The government's push for woody biomass as an eco-friendly solution to energy transition and carbon emissions reduction has faced criticism from 29 civil society organizations.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Democracy Alliance for Papua (ALDP) has revealed that the container port development in Depapre, located in Jayapura Regency, which is part of President Joko Widodo's Sea Highway policy, has been unsuccessful. This assessment is the outcome of an investigation carried out by ALDP from July 2021 to October 2023.

Chris Barrett and Amilia Rosa, Bali – It's mid-afternoon and the main road in Canggu is at a standstill, jammed with motorcycles, cars and trucks.

It could be just about any day in the coastal Bali town, a trendy haven for surfers, influencers and other expatriates, or elsewhere in the island's most bustling tourist areas.

Jakarta – Indonesia will exclude coal-fired power plants operated by industrial estates from its investment plan for a G7-led funding programme to decarbonise its power sector, sources drafting the document told Reuters.

Jakarta (VNA) – Reserves of high-grade nickel ore in Indonesia may be exhausted in around six years, risking shortages of the material used to make stainless steel, according to the Indonesian Nickel Miners Association.

Jakarta – Two potential successors of Indonesia's outgoing President Joko Widodo on Monday called on him to remain neutral in the run-up to the 2024 election amid public criticism he may be trying to retain power after leaving office.