Damon Evans – The chief executive of Australia's Woodside Energy appears to have made a blunder with her comments that the company is open to revisiting a greenfield LNG export development in East Timor. Significantly, the melodrama around the project will likely continue.

Amirullah (Antara), Jakarta – Indonesia's exports of steel products have increased rapidly in the last five years. Last year, steel goods exports increased to 5.2 million tons from 1.3 million tons in 2017, with production volume increasing from 7.9 to 14 million tons in the same period, said I Gusti Putu Suryawirawan, special staff to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy.

Soraya Permatasari and Yudith Ho – Indonesian President Joko Widodo said his nation won't follow a purely open economic model that he blamed for undercutting Latin America's growth prospects for decades, saying Taiwan and South Korea show the advantage of making the world dependent on them.

Antara, Jakarta – The life expectancy of Jakarta residents continues to increase for the past 10 years. The Jakarta Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that the life expectancy in the capital increased by 1.29 years from 72.03 in 2012 to 73.32 this year.

Rumondang Naibaho, Jakarta – The Papua Student Alliance (AMP) has shrugged off accusations that protesters threw rocks at police during a demonstration near the Horse Statue in Central Jakarta yesterday. The AMP believes that the accusations are designed to paint the demonstration in a bad light.

Jakarta – The chairperson of Nahdlatul Ulama's Central Board (PBNU), Ahmad Fahrurrozi, says he does not have a problem with a planned visit by the US Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Persons, Jessica Stern, as long as she does not campaign for LGBTQI+ rights in Indonesia.

Jakarta – A healthier Indonesia would call for the consumption of good quality drinking water and a balanced diet, according to the recent Hydranation campaign.

Muhammad Aulia, Jakarta – The House of Representatives Defense Commission accepted the nomination of Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Yudo Margono as the new commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces, or TNI, following a day-long hearing on Friday.

Yudo has been nominated by President Joko Widodo to replace General Andika Perkasa who will retire later this month.

Vitorio Mantalean, Jakarta – The People's Justice and Prosperity Party (PRIMA) is officially suing the General Elections Commission (KPU) at the State Administrative Court (PTUN) after the KPU declared that the party had failed to pass the administrative verification to be a participant in the 2024 elections.

Sigiranus Marutho Bere, Kupang – Papuan students from the Human Rights and Democracy Forum Alliance (Formasi) held a protest action in front of the Kupang Widya Mandira Catholic University campus in the Old City sub-district of Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Thursday December 1.

Jayapura, Jubi – Founder of Papua Language Institute Samuel Tabuni said education in Papua especially in elementary school must be strengthened by implementing a contextual Papuan culture-based learning curriculum.

Jayapura, Jubi – On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, a gunfight between personnel of the Cartenz Peace Task Force of the Logpon Post and an armed group suspected of being the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) occurred at Kilometer 7 of Dekai, the capital of Yahukimo Regency, Mountainous Papua Province. A policeman died at the scene and some others were injured.

More than a dozen NGOs have issued a letter accusing Indonesia of stymieing scientific research, after Jakarta banned a group of foreign academics who opposed an official claim that orangutan numbers are increasing.

Jakarta, Indonesia – The United States has canceled a trip to Indonesia by a special envoy on LGBTQ rights after the country's most influential Islamic group objected to the visit.

Special envoy Jessica Stern was to have visited Indonesia next week as part of a trip to Southeast Asia.

Defara Dhanya Paramitha, Jakarta – The Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS) revealed that 678,500 foreign tourists visited Indonesia in October this year. This reflected an increase of 364.31 percent compared to October 2021 with 146,100.

Moh. Khory Alfarizi, Jakarta – Central Java Energy and Mineral Resources Agency (ESDM) head Sujarwanto Dwiatmoko has spoken up about the rampant illegal mining business in the province. He claimed the government had taken action against unlicensed sand mining, but it then reappeared and operated again.

Melbourne – Woodside Energy Group said for the first time on Thursday it was willing to consider sending gas from the huge Greater Sunrise field to East Timor, instead of its long-preferred option of Darwin in Australia.

There are reports of threats by Indonesia to Free West Papua activists on the anniversary of the first raising of West Papua's symbol of independence.

The Pacific Conference of Churches is calling for a boycott of all Indonesian products and programmes by the Indonesian Government, until Jakarta allows a visit to West Papua by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Woodside Energy is reconsidering the potential development of Greater Sunrise via an onshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in East Timor. This marks a significant about-turn for the Australian LNG developer.

60 years ago, on 1st December 1961, the West Papuan national flag, the Morning Star, was raised for the first time on West Papua's soil. The flag represents Papuans' dreams for a Free West Papua.

Anita Permata D, Fadhli Ruhman, Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) pushes for inclusion of sexual torture as a sexual violence crime under the Crime of Sexual Violence Law (UU TPKS) or Law No. 12 of 2022.

Dili, Timor Leste – Timor Leste inaugurated a new deepwater port Wednesday operated by a French conglomerate, in the largest ever single foreign investment on an infrastructure project in Southeast Asia's youngest country.

The $490 million port at Tibar Bay near the capital Dili is expected to expand trade for Timor Leste, one of the poorest countries in the region.

Medan, North Sumatra – Four defendants were each sentenced to 19 months in prison Wednesday after being found guilty of torturing to death two people trafficked to work on an oil palm plantation that supplied global brands.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has all the reasons to be concerned about the fate of his legacy. It is only natural for the President to be wary of any policy changes that could jeopardize his flagship programs soon after he leaves office.

Fadhil Haidar Sulaeman, Jakarta – Multiple high-ranking government officials have raised serious concerns about the economic hardships to be faced in 2023, noting the necessity to mitigate such risks.

Wike D. Herlinda, Jakarta – Fintech start-up Ajaib has decided to layoff 67 employees, joining the ongoing axing spree afflicting Indonesia's tech industry.

Through a statement released on Tuesday, the investment super app announced it was currently planning a sustainable business strategy.

Jakarta – The Environment and Forestry Ministry has recently won the best award for the development of network nodes and the increased utilization of geospatial information for mapping purposes.

Investor Daily, Jakarta – Government spending is projected to reach Rp 3,061 trillion ($197 billion) for the fiscal year 2023 to anticipate a continued slowdown of the global economy and looming food and energy crises amid geopolitical tension, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Thursday.

Protesters from the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP), the Papuan Central Highlands Indonesian Student Association (AMPTPI) and the Indonesian People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) held a protest action in front of the Horse Statue in Central Jakarta on Thursday December 1.

Jakarta – The families of victims of the 2014 Paniai massacre in Papua have sent a letter to the United Nations (UN), which has its head office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Peter Boyle, Sydney – This December 1, for the twelfth year in a row, there was a West Papua flag-raising on the historic Leichhardt Town Hall, courtesy of the Inner West Council.

"On December 1, 1961 the West Papuan Morning Star flag was flown for the first time officially alongside the Dutch tricolour," explained Joe Collins from the Australia-West Papua Association.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Singapore – Indonesia's overseas graduates can potentially bring home economic benefits, as the country seeks to become one of the world's top five economies by its centennial in 2045.

According to British Council Indonesia country director Summer Xia, research has shown that studying abroad can give a boost to a graduate's employability.

Yustinus Paat, Jakarta – Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Yudo Margono, the president's sole pick for the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) commander, is scheduled to attend a hearing hosted by the House of Representatives Defense Committee on Friday that could be a rubber-stamping procedure to confirm his nomination.

Yamin Kogoya – On 30 June 2022, the Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta passed legislation to split West Papua into three more pieces.

Riri Rahayu (Bisnis), Jakarta – Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said many investors are interested in the new capital city or IKN Nusantara project.

Anisa Hafifah, Jakarta – Indonesian Workers Union Association (ASPEK Indonesia) urged Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono to revise the recently-enacted policy on the 2023 provincial minimum wage (UMP) which was set at Rp4.9 million.

Antara, Jakarta – Head of the 2021 National Survey of Children and Adolescents' Life Experiences (SNPHAR) team, Ignatius Prapto Raharjo, said that the percentage of girls aged 13-17 who experienced violence in the past year reached 26.58 percent.

Meanwhile, for boys aged 13-17, the figure stood at 20.51 percent.

Alfitria Nefi Pratiwi, Jakarta – Member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission VIII, Bukhori Yusuf, denounced the Tangerang District Court's ruling that legalized interfaith marriage on human rights considerations. He assessed that it is against the constitution and religious law.

Fitra Ashari, Fadhli Ruhman, Jakarta – Women human rights activists often become targets of gender-based violence in cyberspace, chief of the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan), Andy Yentriyani, has said.

Tenggara Strategics, Jakarta – The government has changed the formula to calculate the minimum wage for 2023 to please labor unions supporting the government but disappoint businesspeople. The new formula will result in a higher increase of the minimum wage than the existing formula, but the government caps the increase at 10 percent maximum.

Jakarta – Two Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers have been given a seven-month jail term for having gay sex, which is banned by the nation's military as "inappropriate behaviour".

The soldiers, who joined the army last year and were based in Java, were also booted from the army, according to a military court ruling dated November 9.

The Star, Jakarta – Indonesia's top military commander is seeking to step up military cooperation within the region and partners further afield to face down the maritime threat from an increasingly assertive China.

Stefanno Sulaiman and Gayatri Suroyo, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Perry Warjiyo emphasized on Wednesday the need to adjust interest rates early to control inflation, which is near its highest rate in seven years.

But availability of energy subsidies next year would let BI moderate rises in interest rates, Warjiyo said.

Jakarta – Amid the aggravating crises of climate change, economic woes and geopolitical tensions that are taking a toll on almost every nation, the urge to pivot the world away from fossil-based energy become stronger.

Fitra Ashari, Mecca Yumna, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) encouraged law enforcement in violence cases befalling women human rights defenders through a manual on protecting them, initiated by the National Commission on Violence Against Women.

One of the perks of building a city from scratch is one can dream big – or, more aptly, aim high – for its design.

Indonesia looks to be doing just that for Nusantara, with the hope that a transportation system involving flying cars can truly take off in the future capital city.

Lorcan Lovett – The development rights to an entire Indonesian archipelago with more than 100 tropical islands is set to be auctioned next week, sparking concerns for the environmental impact on what Sotheby's described as "one of the most intact coral atoll ecosystems left on Earth".

Ian Wilson – The appointment of a caretaker governor for Jakarta might come across as a routine procedure. In the case of Heru Budi Hartono, however, his employment of a politically partisan approach throws up initial indications of the battle lines going into the 2024 presidential elections.

M Julnis Firmansyah, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Wednesday said that he will file an appeal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement body (DSB) after Indonesia lost to the European Union in the nickel export ban lawsuit. Indonesia initially enacted the ban to gain added value from processed nickel exports.