Mustaqim Adammrah, Jakarta – Jakarta is being urged to follow the lead of cities like London, Stockholm and Singapore in introducing an electronic road pricing (ERP) system to ease chronic traffic congestion.

Jakarta – The Cakung sluice gate in East Jakarta provides Ari Syarifuddin with a steady income on a daily basis due to the amount of trash it catches. "You may look at this as trash, but I see it as money," he said.

Pramono, Jakarta – The Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has requested that the government abolish the national test.

Ade Irawan, ICW's Public Service Program Monitoring Manager, believes that national test cannot be the solution to education problem.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The House commission overseeing foreign affairs criticized a list of ambassador candidates on Tuesday, accusing the President of turning foreign postings into "presents" for former aides.

Jakarta – Cawang Pulo in Kampung Melayu district was under water again Tuesday morning, just a few days after floodwaters reached the two-meter mark Sunday.

Tuesday's flooding receded substantially by late afternoon and some residents were able to begin the task of clearing away debris.

Jakarta – Court hearings on Tuesday around the murder of human rights activist Munir have uncovered irregularities surrounding the deployment of off-duty pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto as an aviation security investigator.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Indonesia's farming body has called on the government to help small-scale and family-run farms implement sustainable and organic farming to help combat climate change.

Jakarta – Experts warn Indonesians of the massive spread of disease due to uncertain climate patterns caused by global warming.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Considering the current investment climate, industrial strikes are not the best way for workers to settle disputes with employers, a newly appointed official said Tuesday.

Nusa Dua, Bali – Having steered its new Investment Law through parliament, the government's next step will be to lay out the red carpet for local and international investors by easing the bureaucratic obstacles to doing business in Indonesia.

Indonesia's parliament has agreed to ratify a key security treaty with Australia, a year after both nations signed the historic pact.

During the past nine months, Indonesia has been visited by three UN human rights experts, Hina Jilani, the special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Human Rights Defenders in June, Louise Arbour, head of the UN Human Rights Council, and Professor Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – There have been more protests over the government's decision to continue holding national examinations for elementary, junior high and senior high school students.

Jakarta – Today is the ninth anniversary of the Semanggi I case when 17 people died, including six students.

Christopher S. Rugaber, Washington – The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Bush administration for its view on a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corp. that alleges human rights abuses were committed at its natural gas facility in Indonesia.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Two judges and seven prosecutors were questioned Monday over the controversial acquittal of logging boss Adelin Lis on illegal logging charges.

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – The Jakarta administration's latest policy that allows motorists to use the busway lanes to ease traffic congestion is absurd and will backfire, transportation observers said.

Jakarta – The UN's special agent responsible for investigations into human rights abuses, Manfred Nowak, is set to commence his two week information gathering exercise across the archipelago – but said Monday he first wanted some local pointers.

The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) has reported steady and sharp increases in new foreign investment approvals amid persistently negative perceptions among foreign businesspeople and analysts of Indonesia's investment climate.

Jose Sarito Amaral, Dili – Thousands of Timor Leste citizens commemorated yesterday (12/11) the tragedy of 12 November 1991, when Indonesian soldiers fired on a crowd of youths in Santa Cruz cemetery, Dili. Around 200 people died then, but most of the victims' graves have not been found.

Jose Sarito Amaral, Dili – Thousands of Timor Leste citizens commemorated yesterday (12/11) the tragedy of November 12, 1991 when Indonesian soldiers fired on a crowd of youths in Santa Cruz cemetery, Dili. Around 200 people died then, but most of the victims' graves have not been found.

Ramadhian Fadillah, Jakarta – During protest actions, demonstrators usually replace the names of government officials they are protesting against with something bad. But this time it was different, the name of Jakarta governor Fauzi Bowo was instead embellished with the addition of last name of the handsome actor Ari Wibowo.

Andi Haswidi, Jakarta – Businesses are cautiously welcoming the government's plan to provide incentives for industries willing to convert from oil to using other alternative sources of energy amid high oil prices, which seem to be on course to breaking the US$100 mark a barrel.

Suwardiman – "The facts indicated that up until now many political parties have not really taken up the aspirations of the people. The parties have only become a means for a small group of people to take power. We have merely been turned into spectators that witness their 'attractions' without touching on the real problems confronted by ordinary people. How can we trust them?".

Kurniasih Budi, Jakarta – Ulemas from the Nahdlatul Ulama in the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Ulemas National Awakening Party (PKNU), have said they considered that the role of Ulemas in national politics is lessening.

Trisha Sertori/J.B. Djwan, Contributors, Bima and Flores – Daily there are dozens of stories of Indonesia's female migrant workers (TKW) in the news. Some have been abused, some are in other countries illegally, some are murdered, others murderers.

Alfian and Apriadi Gunawan, Jakarta/Medan – Forestry minister M.S. Kaban has said he had nothing to do with the Medan District Court's recent ruling – in which businessman Adelin Lis was acquitted of all charges – and blamed the prosecutors for indicting the logging boss with weak charges that ended in his acquittal.

Mustaqim Adamrah, Jakarta – The Supreme Court has sentenced senior member of the Lia Eden sect Abdul Rachman to three years in prison for blasphemy, a Jakarta Legal Aid Institute representative said.

Hermawanto, a lawyer from the institute working on Abdul's case, said his team was informed of the verdict by the Supreme Court on Friday.

The National Human Rights Commission is planning to re-open the case of the disappearance of Aristoteles Masoka, the chauffeur of Theys Hiyo Eluay, the chairman of the Papuan Presidium Council, even though case of Theys himself has been closed.

The report from a coronial inquest into the Balibo Five deaths is handed down next week. Mal Walden recounts the gut-wrenching day he heard the news.

October 15, 1975, late in the day, and the shrill ringing of a telephone shattered the silence of Channel Seven's almost-empty newsroom.

Jakarta – Rights groups demanded Thursday the government provide full access to a UN special rapporteur on torture and cruelty slated to begin a visit this weekend.

Rohman Taufiq, Sidoarjo – The uncontrolled emissions (spurt) of water mixed with flammable gas occurred again near the Lapindo mudflow in Porong, Sidoarjo, East Java.

Jakarta – It was another exhausting day for Sukarti as she waited in line at the Cipto Mangunkusno General Hospital in Central Jakarta.

Her two-year-old son Bagus had been suffering from a liver disease and malnutrition for several months, meaning trips to the hospital were a regular occurrence.

Jakarta – Former State Minister of State Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi, a suspect in the controversial 2004 sale of two very large crude carriers (VLCC) belonging to state oil company Pertamina, has broken his silence on the identity of other state officials involved in the case.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – Irked by the customs service's long-tainted image as a hotbed of corruption and poor service, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati took herself down to the docks to see how things have improved – or worsened, as the case may be.

Jakarta – Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR), Agung Laksono, asked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to warn Forestry Minister M. S. Kaban, who is suspected of intervening in the judicial process of Adelin Lis, Finance Director of PT Keang Nam Development Indonesia, yesterday (8/11).

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Constitutional law experts have recommended improvements to the legislature's system of checks and balances between the House and Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

Alfian, Jakarta – The government has announced it will allocate Rp 10.4 trillion (US$1.14 billion) to finance the 2009 general election, half the budget proposed by the General Elections Commission (KPU).

Jakarta – Political parties in Indonesia have failed in their role as the key providers of political education for their members as well as the general public, said a politician Thursday.

Bogor – Four members of the banned al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah sect turned themselves in to police Thursday.

Adj. Comr. Sarjiman, the chief of the Ciomas police station where the four Sukajaya subdistrict residents turned themselves in, said they had signed promises of repentance.

Andi Haswidi, Jakarta – Hit by rising oil prices, many factory-gate prices will have to rise by up to 10 percent early next year unless the government can reduce its chronic red tape so as to bring down the cost of doing business, says an association.

Jakarta – Some 300 people blockaded the Pondok Pinang-Serpong turnpike Wednesday to demand compensation from toll road operator PT Jasa Marga. The blockade caused extensive traffic congestion on the expressway for more than three hours.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The Indonesian Environmental Forum (Walhi) said Wednesday it was optimistic it would win the Buyat Bay civil lawsuit against giant mining company PT Newmont Minahasa Raya following the court's decision to cancel an on-site investigation.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Police are still looking for logging boss Adelin Lis, whose whereabouts have been unknown since he was acquitted of corruption by a court here on Monday.

His acquittal has caused a furor among environment and legal activists across the nation, while the Medan Police want to question him in relation to a new set of charges.

Ahmed Mushaddeq leads the new Al Qiyadah Al Islamiyah sect. The sect has been described as deviant and blasphemous by the country's powerful Muslim organisation, the Indonesian Ulema Council because it promotes an alternative view of Islam.

Presenter: Linda LoPresti. Speaker: Professor Azyumardi Azra, President of Indonesia's State Islamic University

Jakarta – Consumers in the country are getting jittery from a possible domino effect from the lately pick-up in inflation to growth and beyond, putting their confidence on the economy at a down again, said a recent survey from the Danareksa Research Institute.

The Jakarta Post, Pelalawan, Riau – Forestry companies are generally still reluctant to adopt sustainable management practices because most do not see the benefits for their businesses.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A House of Representatives commission and an alliance of non-government organizations have slammed the government for resisting the inclusion of state enterprises into the bill on free flow of information.

The group accused President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of lacking commitment to establish good governance and combat corruption.

Aqida Swamurti, Jakarta – Soldiers, civil servants and children are allowed to participate in campaigns.

The goal is to change the atmosphere of campaigns from their current image of being frightening, brutal and threatening. It's also political education," said Patrialis Akbar, a member of the General Election working committee, Thursday (8/11).

Jakarta – The Munir murder case took a new turn Wednesday when three key witnesses testified in the murder conspiracy trial of former Garuda Indonesia chief Indra Setiawan, saying the presence of off-duty pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto on Munir's flight was out of line with procedure.