Junaidi Hanafiah, Central Tapanuli, Indonesia – Since it was first described by scientists in 2017, the Tapanuli orangutan, one of the world's rarest great apes, was believed to live only in the Batang Toru forest of Indonesia's North Sumatra province.

Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – Three Australians accused of fatally shooting a fellow countryman in Badung regency, Bali, earlier this year, have been charged with premeditated murder. A crime that carries the maximum penalty of death under Indonesian law.

Rendy Tisna – A lower court in the Jakarta suburb of Bogor ruled in October in favor of environmental scientists Bambang Hero Sarahjo and Basuki Wasis, dismissing a lawsuit brought by Borneo plantation firm PT Kalimantan Lestari Mandiri over a wildfire more than seven years ago.

Sri Wahyuni, Samosir, Indonesia – On retirement from public life, Wilmar Eliaser Simandjorang found a quiet place on a hillside overlooking Lake Toba, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, to write about this landscape sacred to the region's Batak people.

Gembong Hanung, Jakarta – Southern Indonesia is expected to experience extreme heat until the end of the year, as both minimal cloud cover over the islands and the ongoing pancaroba (the transitional period between the dry and rainy seasons) allow for intense solar radiation to directly heat the land, authorities warned.

Antara, Jakarta – A new study by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has found that rainwater in Jakarta contains hazardous microplastic particles, underscoring growing concerns over urban pollution and its environmental and health effects.

Heru Yustanto, Bogor – The Indonesian government has officially lifted all radiation seals in the Cikande Industrial Zone in Serang, Banten, after completing a month-long radioactive decontamination process, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced on Friday.

Chandra Adi Nurwidya, Yogyakarta – Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the Sultan and Governor of Yogyakarta, has expressed disappointment over the Rp 700 billion ($42 million) reduction in central government funding for the province, a senior official said on Thursday.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has amassed Rp 1,434.3 trillion (around $86.5 billion) in investments from home and abroad so far this year as of September, the government announced Friday, with Singapore still keeping its crown as the biggest foreign investor.

Alif Ilham Fajriadi, Jakarta – The Ministry of Investment and Downstream/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) recorded a total investment realization of Rp491.4 trillion in the third quarter of 2025. This figure reflects a growing trend, particularly in downstream investment, which now accounts for 30% of the total realization for the quarter.

Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesia's Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) has called on Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar to issue a public apology following his controversial remarks on sexual violence in Islamic boarding schools, or pesantren.

Pribadi Wicaksono (Kontributor), Jakarta – Indonesian former president Joko Widodo attended the anniversary celebration of the Faculty of Forestry at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta on Friday, October 17, 2025.

Ja'han Jones – During his trip last week to the Middle East, Donald Trump set off alarms stateside when he was caught on a hot mic talking to President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia about his request to meet with the president's son Eric, who's not a government official.

Jakarta – An "eco-city", a mining complex, and a massive project to grow food and fuel are all part of an Indonesian growth drive that activists allege is causing deforestation and dispossession.

Antara, Jakarta – Danantara Investment Management Agency has announced that it will soon allocate investments to the Indonesian stock market.

Ditya Rasyadiputra, Jakarta – The Head of the Australian Defense Force (ADF), Admiral David Johnston, said that the partnership with Indonesia is being realized by increasing the number of joint military exercises.

Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The Indonesian Constitutional Court has partially upheld a lawsuit related to the Job Creation Law. The court's decision exempts indigenous communities living in the forests from the obligation to obtain business permits for plantation activities.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto celebrates his 74th birthday today, October 17, 2025.

Hendrik Yaputra – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has asked the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Nusantara Investment Authority (BPI Danantara) to downsize the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) from 1,000 to 200-240 companies.

Defara Dhanya, Jakarta – A recent report from Climate Rights International (CRI) urges the Indonesian government and companies in the mining sector, particularly nickel, to immediately stop violating the rights of local communities, clean up air and water pollution, and gradually phase out the use of captive coal.

Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian Traditional Fishermen's Union (KNTI) highlights the declining welfare of national fishermen in recent years. The Chair of KNTI, Dani Setiawan, said the Fishermen's Exchange Rate (NTN) has been decreasing since 2022.

Anastasya Lavenia Yudi, Jakarta – Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has raised questions about the large sum of government funds piling up in fixed bank deposits. According to his records, the central and regional government funds in the form of fixed deposits were at Rp204.1 trillion and Rp204.2 trillion in December 2023 and December 2024, respectively.

Antara, Jakarta – The Jakarta provincial government is stepping up its response to extreme heat, launching weather modification efforts, accelerating tree-planting programs, and warning residents to limit outdoor activity as temperatures in the capital hit 35 degrees Celsius this week.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto mentioned the number of food poisoning cases related to the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) in front of global Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). The Head of State mentioned that the food poisoning victims were 0.0007 percent of the 35.4 million MBG beneficiaries.

Hanaa Septiana, Jakarta – All victims of the collapse of Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Buduran, Sidoarjo have been identified. In total, there are 63 identified bodies. The head of the Medical and Health Division of the East Java Regional Police, Commissioner Pol. Dr.

Jakarta – The policy disarray in the energy sector is increasingly concerning. After causing public unease through restrictions on the distribution of three-kilogram cooking gas canisters, now the intervention by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia in relation to fuel import quota for private gas stations has caused new turmoil.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Hospitals and clinics across Jakarta and surrounding regions have reported a recent uptick in patients showing flu-like symptoms.

Similar surges have also been recorded abroad, including in Malaysia, where thousands of cases have forced several schools to temporarily close.

Ria Fortuna Wijaya, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia is on track to achieve up to eight percent economic growth, driven by his flagship Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program that he claims is already feeding 35 million people a day, the equivalent of "seven Singapores," while creating millions of new jobs.

Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has allowed foreigners to take leadership roles at Indonesia's state-run enterprises, especially if they are up to the job.

Antara, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said Wednesday that a combination of capitalism and socialism would suit Indonesia's economic system the best.

Alfitria Nefi P, Jakarta – The Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Maman Abdurrahman, has sparked controversy by proposing that local entrepreneurs should produce counterfeit or knock-off branded bags.

Vinnilya Huanggrio, Jakarta – The Indonesian government should consider lowering its value-added tax (VAT) rate to strengthen competitiveness in Southeast Asia and narrow the gap with Vietnam, which has posted its fastest economic growth in a decade, a retail industry leader said on Thursday.

Mita Amalia Hapsari, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has launched the People's School (Sekolah Rakyat) initiative aimed at breaking the cycle of extreme poverty in Indonesia through access to quality education.

Rafiqa Qurrata A'yun and Tim Lindsey (The Conversation) – Mass demonstrations against the greed of politicians led to protests in late August across Indonesia, calling for major reforms to the political system and police force. Civil society groups played a key role in these events.

Fachrizal Baladraf, Maidina Rahmawati and Erasmus AT Napitupulu – Imagine the horror: as students were praying, the concrete structure above them suddenly collapsed. The main building of the Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School (pesantren) in Sidoarjo, East Java, crumbled on 29 September 2025, trapping hundreds inside.

Kennedy Muslim and Burhanuddin Muhtadi – Almost a year into office, Indonesia's central government must balance its ambitions against rising public discontent. There is still time to right the ship.

Jakarta – Following the upcoming return of over 28,000 fossils from the Netherlands, the government is broadening its repatriation efforts to include artifacts currently held in Germany and other European countries, marking a significant step in Indonesia's campaign to reclaim its heritage from abroad.

Jakarta – A group of mothers, young people and women who are members of the Voices of Indonesian Mothers (Suara Ibu Indonesia) are urging the government to halt the free nutritious meals (MBG) program following cases of mass poisoning in various regions.

Dinda Shabrina, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto believes that the Rp10,000 (US$0.60) per portion budget for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program is sufficient to provide a complete and nutritious menu, including chicken and eggs.

Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – Around Indonesian sixty women staged a symbolic picnic in front of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) building in Jakarta on Wednesday, October 15, 2025. They spread picnic mats and shared home-cooked meals of rice, meat, fruits, and vegetables, turning their lunch into a peaceful protest.

Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – Gerindra Party politician Habiburokhman claimed he has never encountered anyone who rejected the free nutritious meal or MBG program. He claimed that the individuals he met in his electoral district supported the Prabowo-led free meal project for school students.

Jakarta – Indonesian television network Trans7 has issued a public apology following widespread backlash over a broadcast about Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) that many viewers said insulted Muslim clerics and religious culture.

Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – The Finance Ministry announced on Tuesday that the government had rolled out Rp 192.2 trillion (approximately $11.6 billion) in energy subsidies and compensation as of early October this year.

Keith Anthony Fabro – Off the western coast of Sumatra, the Mentawai Islands rise from the Indian Ocean in a patchwork of emerald forests and winding rivers. The canopy shelters endemic macaques and gibbons, hornbills and orchids, while coastal villages still echo with rituals that tie people to the land and sea.

Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has found himself at the centre of global attention – and domestic debate – at the Gaza peace summit in Egypt, a high-level gathering aimed at ending hostilities and planning reconstruction in the war-torn enclave.

Deni Friawan, Jakarta – What do President Prabowo Subianto and his newly appointed Finance Minister, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, have in common? The answer lies in their shared confidence that Indonesia can achieve significantly higher economic growth than it has in recent decades.

Jakarta – Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin on Wednesday held a meeting with senior politician and chairman of the NasDem Party Surya Paloh at the ministry's headquarters in Central Jakarta.

Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has issued a new decree to restart international carbon emission trading after a four year hiatus.

The country issued carbon market rules in 2021 that focused on compliance carbon markets rather than transactions in voluntary markets.

Rebecca Tan and Winda Charmila – When President Donald Trump proclaimed an end to the war in Gaza on Monday, he was flanked by leaders from the Middle East and Europe as well as, at the corner of that historic stage in Egypt, a guest from elsewhere: Prabowo Subianto, the president of Indonesia.

Muhammad Farhan, Addin Anugrah Siwi, Jakarta – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa clarified on Tuesday that the reported return of Rp 70 trillion ($4.2 billion) in unused funds by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program did not come from the official state budget but from an additional funding proposal that was never approved.