Jakarta – Supreme Court Chief Justice Muhammad Syarifuddin, Communications and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) and the Press Council should revisit the long-standing practice of live TV broadcasting of court hearings, especially if they involve a murder case as in the killing of Brig. Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat.

Fikri Harish, Jakarta – Consumer groups, lawmakers and pharmacists are calling for more action by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) following its decision to order several medicinal syrups to be recalled from the market over their possible links to fatal kidney injuries among almost 100 children.

Jakarta – The large dome of a grand mosque in Indonesia's capital Jakarta has collapsed after a major fire, without causing any casualties.

Dramatic footage obtained by AFP showed a thick column of grey smoke engulfing the dome while the flames destroyed the lower parts of the Jakarta Islamic Centre Grand Mosque on Wednesday.

Investor Daily, Jakarta – The national economy is projected to grow by more than 5.5 percent in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the same period of last year, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Friday.

The expected figure will be the highest quarterly growth of the year, from 5.01 percent in the first quarter and 5.44 percent in the second.

Lenny Tristia Tambun, Jakarta – Former Jakarta governor and presidential hopeful Anies Baswedan will not be invited to the Golkar Party's birthday party on Friday night.

Golkar Chairman Airlangga Hartarto said invitations are limited to party leaders.

Mutia Yuantisya, Jakarta – The Jakarta High Court upheld the Central Jakarta District Court's ruling which stated that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, the Environment Minister, the Home Affairs Minister, and the Health Minister had committed unlawful acts in dealing with air pollution.

Lenny Tristia Tambun, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo advised the Golkar Party on Friday to employ caution in selecting their candidate for the 2024 presidential election as he delivered the opening speech at an event to celebrate the party's 58th anniversary.

Bali Vice Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati says he is going along with the suggestion that vast land development on the island has worsened flash floods, which have claimed seven lives over the past week.

The Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) says unmarried couples getting jailed for checking in to a hotel room simply does not check out, as such a morality-based law would bring negative consequences to the tourism industry.

London – "Reports of intensified violence... (have) result(ed) in unknown numbers of civilian casualties and fatalities and internal displacement" and shock at "reports of the dismembered bodies of four indigenous Papuan civilians found outside Timika in West Papua Province (sic) on 22 August".

Tempo, Jakarta – A new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) stated that unlocking Indonesia's untapped renewable energy potential to meet the rising demand is more cost-effective than continuing heavy reliance on domestic and imported fossil fuels, as mentioned in a press release received by Tempo on Friday, October 21.

Nicola Smith – Indonesian women are fighting for the rights of Iranians to ditch their mandatory hijabs, amid fears that their own freedom to choose whether to wear a headscarf is under threat.

Jakarta – We commend the government for taking swift action to address the mysterious acute kidney injury (AKI) that has killed at least 99 Indonesian children this year. The government has learned from the costs the country had to pay for the ignorance, if not denial, when COVID-19 spread its horror early in 2020.

Ry Sochan – Cambodia and East Timor signed two documents to boost bilateral trade cooperation on October 20. The two documents are an air services agreement and a memorandum of understanding on the rice trade between the two countries.

The signing ceremony was held at the Peace Palace, and witnessed by Prime Minister Hun Sen and East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta.

Made Supriatma – The jostling for Indonesia's 2024 presidential election has begun, putting a tough choice in front of the biggest political party in parliament.

News Desk, Jakarta – Indonesia has welcomed Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's reversal of the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said Indonesia appreciated "Australia's reaffirmation of its commitment to support a peaceful resolution to the conflict based on a two-state solution".

Triyan Pangastuti, Jakarta – Bank Indonesia on Thursday decided to raise the benchmark interest rate by 50 points to 4.75 percent in a "preemptive measure" to tame inflation.

It was the third hike in three consecutive months, resulting in the highest interest rate since February 2020.

News Desk, Jakarta – Chairman of Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto said he expected Golkar to come out on top in the 2024 legislative elections by garnering at least 20 percent of the popular vote.

Airlangga said that this percentage would translate roughly into 115 seats at the House of Representatives.

Indonesia's top court has ruled in favor of Catholic farmers in East Nusa Tenggara Province by canceling the permit for limestone mining that would have destroyed their lives.

Ry Sochan – East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta arrived in Phnom Penh on October 19 for a three-day visit to boost ties.

Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Hun Sen will preside over the signing ceremony of two bilateral agreements – an air services agreement and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the rice trade between the two countries.

Jayapura, Jubi – The Manokwari Institute for Research, Assessment and Development of Legal Aid (LP3BH Manokwari) on October 17 and 18, 2022 met with survivors, families of victims, and witnesses of the alleged 2001 Bloody Wasior gross human rights violations in Wondama Bay Regency.

Rhiannon Hoyle, Adelaide, Australia – The chief executive of Woodside Energy Group Ltd. said she hopes a stalemate on the Greater Sunrise natural-gas project near East Timor can be broken following Australia's decision to appoint a special envoy to the project, but she highlighted challenges to the small nation's insistence that gas from the fields be processed in East Timor.

Silvia Ng, Jakarta – Workers from the Labour Movement with the People (Gebrak) held a protest action near the Horse Statue in Central Jakarta on Thursday October 20. They brought a number of demands ranging from calls for a reduction in the price of fuel (BBM) to revoking the Jobs Law (Ciptaker).

Tatang Guritno, Jakarta – The Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) has conducted a survey on the fatal October 1 tragedy at the Kanjuruhan football Stadium in Malang, East Java.

LSI Executive Director Djayadi Hanan said that the majority of the public believe that the 133 people who died in the tragedy died because of teargas fired by police.

Lenny Tristia Tambun, Jakarta – The government plans to set up the first-ever state agency tasked with personal data protection after the recent issuance of a related law, Communication and IT Minister Johnny Gerard Plate said on Thursday.

Vincent Fabian Thomas, Jakarta - – An omnibus bill finalized by the House of Representatives last month looks to bring sweeping changes to some 15 laws on the financial sector.

Tangguh Chairil, Jakarta – The Indonesian police are under a spotlight following a deadly stampede on Oct. 1 at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java. The incident, one of the world's worst sporting disasters, killed at least 132 people and injured more than 370 others.

Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) believes that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has played a significant role in the state of democracy in Indonesia which is collapsing.

The Kontras made this assessment in commemorating three years under the leadership of Widodo and Vice President Ma'ruf Ami, which falls on October 20.

Ali MC, Melbourne, Australia – Australia says it will continue to provide military training, conduct joint exercises and export weapons to Indonesia despite increased violence and allegations of human rights abuses in West Papua, in the far east of the archipelago, where conflict has been rumbling for decades.

Jakarta – The government announced on Wednesday a ban on all syrup and liquid medicine prescription and over-the-counter sales, after the deaths of nearly 100 children from acute kidney injury this year.

The ban comes as health authorities probe an unexplained rise since January in the number of children's deaths from acute kidney injury (AKI).

Vitorio Mantalean, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has criticised the results of an investigation by the government sponsored Joint Independent Fact Finding Team (TGIPF) into the Kanjuruhan football stadium tragedy because it failed to further investigate allegations of obstruction of justice by the police.

Jayapura, Jubi – Director of the Manokwari Legal Aid Research, Assessment and Development Institute (LP3BH Manokwari) Cristian Yan Warinussy said he received a report saying a civilian from Bintuni Bay Regency named Yunus Orocomma, 30, was arrested by police on Sunday, October 16, 2022.

Props to Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs for reinforcing the idea that sexual harassment can come in the form of actions many regretfully believe to be innocent.

The Indonesian football stadium where more than 130 people were killed in a crowd crush on 1 October will be torn down and rebuilt, the country's president has said.

"For Kanjuruhan stadium in Malang, we will demolish and rebuild it according to Fifa standards," Joko Widodo told reporters after meeting the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino.

Carlos Ky Paath, Jakarta – Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo recently unveiled his readiness to run for president in the 2024 election.

"For this nation and country, what are we not ready for?" Ganjar, who belongs to the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said on the BeritaSatu Special program aired on BTV on Tuesday.

The Hague, Netherlands – Indonesia has asked the Netherlands to hand back at least eight art pieces and natural history collections that were acquired during the colonial era, including the remains of a landmark hominid known as "Java Man."

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – The Health Ministry has formed a team of medical experts to investigate cases of acute kidney failure of unknown origin in children as cases continue to pop up around the country.

As of Monday, the ministry had recorded at least 189 cases of fatal kidney failure in 20 provinces with 74 fatalities since January.

Ahmad Zuhdi Dwi Kusuma, Jakarta – The prolonged global energy crisis has been a critical point for countries around the world to review their energy-transition plan. Many believe that energy transition has become a secondary priority as countries race to strengthen their energy security amid the surge in fossil fuel prices.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – The joint independent fact-finding team (TGIPF) for the Kanjuruhan stadium disaster revealed that a three-hour CCTV recording about the tragedy was removed.

Jakarta – As many as 200 Jakarta residents, including the Iranian diaspora, demonstrated in front of the Iranian Embassy in Jakarta on October 18. They were demanding a transparent and fair investigation into the deaths of scores of women and children in Teheran and other Iranian cities.

Vitorio Mantalean, Jakarta – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) is disappointed with the results of the investigation report compiled by the government sponsored Joint Independent Fact Finding Team (TGIPF) into the Kanjuruhan football stadium tragedy on October 1.

Valmai Alzena Karla Martino, Jakarta – University of Indonesia Political studies Centre (Puskapol UI) Deputy Executive Director Hurriyah has touched on the low level of women's representation in the General Election Commission (KPU) and the Elections Supervisory Board (Bawaslu).

Antara, Bogor – Landslides and floods in Bogor City have killed seven people for the past week. An officer of Central Bogor Police Jefri died at the fishing spot of Gang Kepatihan, Kebonkelapa Sub-district, on Tuesday afternoon, October 11, 2022.

Jayapura, Jubi – The fugitive suspected of attacking the Kisor Military Post, Yan Waris Sewa, was arrested on Friday, October 14, 2022. The arrest was made by a joint team consisting of West Papua Police Mobile Brigade, South Sorong Police, and Maybrat Police at 6 a.m. Papua time in Susumuk Village, Aifat District, Maybrat Regency, West Papua Province.

Jayapura, Jubi – United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) leader Buchtar Tabuni was arrested by police in Jayapura City on Monday, October 17, 2022. Tabuni was arrested at his home in Kampwolker, Yabansai Village, Jayapura City. Until Monday night, Tabuni was still undergoing examination at the Jayapura City Police Headquarters.

Max Lane – The popularity of a recent image lamenting the wearing of conservative dress, particularly headscarves, by girls in Indonesia's state schools have highlighted philosophical tensions in society and politics, with no easy answers.

Jakarta – With the current Indonesian Military (TNI) chief, Gen. Andika Perkasa, reaching his retirement age on Dec. 21, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo will soon have to appoint a replacement. There is a legitimate option to extend Andika's service, but this will do more harm than good to regeneration within the armed forces.

A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil, Jakarta – A new ministerial regulation allowing regional administrations to govern traditional dress as school attire has raised concerns from parents and education experts over financial burden and discriminatory practices.

Nina A. Loasana, Jakarta – Anies Baswedan stepped down from his position as Jakarta governor on Sunday, becoming the city's first leader in 10 years to complete a full five-year term in office.

Jakarta – Indonesia's trade balance suffered a major monthly blow in September as sluggish demand from key trading partners took a toll on export performance, particularly on "backbone" commodities such as coal and crude palm oil (CPO).