Indoneasia

Joko Widodo met with around 60 Papuan leaders on Tuesday in a bid to ease violent protests which have rocked the region for weeks.

The president, also known as Jokowi, said work will start next year on a palace in Jayapura, where the local council's chair has promised to gift 10 acres of land.

Jokowi said it came at the request of Papuan leaders, who also asked for the Special Autonomy Law to be amended and the formation of a National Land Agency.

 National legislators are expected later this month to resurrect a Dutch colonial-era regulation that could lead to the imprisonment of people who insult state symbols.

The South China Morning Post reports that critics said the move is undemocratic and demonstrates the country's creeping encroachment on free speech.

According to the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, Indonesia's proposed new penal code contains dozens of vaguely-worded articles.