Nurfika Osman & Sally Piri – Following a busy weekend of deciding whether smoking, yoga, not voting and other issues were right or wrong for the country's Muslims, the Indonesian Council of Ulema, or MUI, came under fire on Monday for issuing edicts that Islamic scholars said were not only unnecessary and unconstitutional, but threatened national unity and pluralism.

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The political romance between former President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X appears to have blossomed on Monday, fueling speculation that he will run as Megawati's deputy in the upcoming presidential election.

Ismira Lutfia – An Indonesian Council of Ulema, or MUI, edict that allows women to have an abortion under certain conditions could serve as a foundation for the government to regulate the procedure, Kartono Mohamad, former chairman of the Indonesian Doctors Association, or IDI, said on Monday.

Nurdin Hasan & Anita Rachman – A chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists, or AJI, in Aceh Province has rejected the proposed regional Islamic Press and Broadcasting Bylaw, saying it could undermine press freedom.

Jakarta – Muslims in Indonesia have been banned from doing yoga if they engage in Hindu religious rituals during the exercise, the chairman of the country's top Islamic body said Sunday.

About 700 clerics from the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) agreed on the action late Sunday at a national meeting in West Sumatra province, Ma'ruf Amin told AFP by telephone.

Jakarta – Chief of National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Syamsir Siregar said Sunday that Muslim scholars, Islamic boarding schools and society at large needed to contribute towards national security.

Joshua Frank – In wee morning hours on Friday, January 23, a US spy plane killed at least 15 in Pakistan near the Afghanistan border. It was Barack Obama's first blood and the US's first violation of Pakistan's sovereignty under the new dministration. The attack was an early sign that the newly minted president may not be overhauling the War on Terror this week, or even next.

Indonesia managed to achieve self-sufficiency and even a surplus in rice production last year, but failed to improve the economic conditions of farmers who mostly live below the poverty line, a recent survey showed.

The study, conducted by the Indonesian Farmers Union (SPI) last year, showed a farmer earned an average Rp 4,300 (approximately US 38 cents) per day.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) said that massive layoffs are in sight should the city administration insist on its plan to raise the sectoral provincial minimum wages (UMSP) by between 5 percent and 12 percent, an executive said Friday.

Abdul Khalik – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla have stepped up visits to regions across the country, a move many criticize as an attempt to win over voters ahead of elections.

Ni Komang Erviani, Denpasar – Dozens of environmental activists staged a protest Friday in front of the Bali governor's office to oppose a plan to develop Buyan Lake in Buleleng.

Olivia Rondonuwu, Padang Panjang – Indonesia's top Islamic body debated on Sunday whether to apply a blanket ban on smoking for Muslims or place a more limited restriction on tobacco use in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

Camelia Pasandaran – The United Development Party, or PPP, is pushing for the formation of a coalition of Islamic parties in order to shift the balance of political power in the country, party officials said on Friday.

Rommy Hermiji, deputy secretary general of the PPP, said that there were too many Islamic parties at the moment, which worked against their own interests.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Manokwari – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited West Papua on Thursday, pouring hundreds of billion of rupiah in projects around the province.

Arientha Primanita – Thirteen East Java Police officers have been formally disciplined over an investigation that led to the convictions of two men for a murder they did not commit, a National Police spokesman said on Friday.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – The United Nations will continue to monitor the case involving the murder of human rights activist Munir. UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Margaret Sekaggya has also conveyed her feelings of concern about the acquittal of Munir murder defendant Muchdi Purwoprandjono.

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – The public prosecutor handing the case of murdered human rights activists Munir has submitted a judicial review to the Supreme Court via the South Jakarta District Court. The Solidarity Committee for Munir (Kasum) hopes that the Supreme Court will allow the hearings to be open to the public.

Heru Andriyanto – The conviction of Rohainil Aini last Tuesday could not serve as supporting evidence in prosecutors' attempts to overturn the acquittal of the alleged mastermind in the murder of rights activist Munir Said Thalib, an official said on Thursday.

Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – Discrimination remains a major stumbling block for transvestites and gay communities across the country, especially for those with HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections, despite a heightened campaign for equality and rights, a discussion heard Thursday.

Jakarta – Anti-corruption activist Teten Masduki said the Indonesian Ulema Council's threat to sue Transparency International Indonesia would be counterproductive in the fight against corruption.

In a survey published Wednesday, the council was cited as one of the country's most bribery-addled institutions in 2008.

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – The control of state assets by government-linked social foundations to help them operate and raise funds may lead to corrupt practices, a study has found.

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Ret. Gen. Prabowo Subianto is seeking the support of his former in-laws, the still-influential family of the late President Suharto, in his unlikely bid to become the next president.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The national polls body agreed Thursday that the presidential election will take place on July 8, 2009, with a runoff, if needed, to be held on Sept. 8.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) said the decision had been reached at a meeting attended by all seven members of the body.

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Former president Megawati Soekanorputri and the current Vice President Jusuf Kalla are the most preferable among workers compared to the incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, according to a survey released Thursday.

It said Yudhoyono is seen by most workers as "unfriendly" to them as he failed to improve their welfare.

Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – The Golkar Party must name its presidential candidate soon or risk losing its most popular figures to other party alliances, its leader says.

Jakarta – Controversial issues ranging from yoga to abstaining from voting will head the agenda when 700 ulema from throughout the country meet in the West Sumatra town of Padang Panjang, starting Friday.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) expressed its commitment Wednesday to investigate the 102 illegal accounts belonging to the Supreme Court.

Dicky Christanto, Jakarta – The police force is seen by the business community as the most bribe-riddled institution, while corruption at judicial institutions is the most costly, according to a survey revealed Wednesday.

Markus Junianto Sihaloho – Prabowo Subianto, who chairs the Great Indonesia Movement Party, or Gerindra, says he still intends to run for president, rather than seeking the number two slot on a ticket with former President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Dessy Sagita – A senior legislator from the moderate Islamic National Mandate Party, or PAN, said he wanted to ensure that as many as 14 jobs out of every 100 are allocated to members of Indonesia's large transgender community.

Jakarta – Environmental group Greenpeace urged Indonesia's election watchdog Thursday to investigate funding for political parties linked to deforestation ahead of parliamentary polls in April.

About 40 Greenpeace activists carried a banner saying, "No Forests for Elections – Stop Deforestation" in front of the election committee (KPU) office in Jakarta.

Febriamy Hutapea – If the legislative election scheduled for April 9 were held today, more than 50 percent of the votes cast would be declared invalid because Indonesians do not know how to mark the ballot papers correctly, a survey from an international election assistance organization shows.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – As elections draw closer, political party leaders have intensified communications between them, but avoided early talks of possible coalitions.

Chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Suryadharma Ali held a rare meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who chairs the Golkar Party.

Jakarta – Dozens of transsexuals attended a meeting Thursday at the House of Representatives' Health and Manpower Commission to discuss their discriminatory treatment by the government.

"The Constitution guarantees our rights," head of the Indonesian Transsexuals Communications Forum (FKWI) Yulianus Rettoblaut said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Jakarta – Dozens of villagers on Indonesia's Sumatra island began a protest march Wednesday to demand the release of 76 people arrested in a land dispute, a farmers' union leader said.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Along the East to North Jakarta stretch of Jl. Gen. D.I. Panjaitan, barely a blank space can be seen among the sea of campaign posters and banners covering the roadside for the 3,000 legislative candidates fighting for seats in the Jakarta legislative bodies.

If one was to travel anywhere else in the city, they would be met with a similar scene.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) vowed to issue a regulation to award more legislative seats to women should the government fail to enact a government regulation in-lieu-of law (Perppu) on the matter.

Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Around half the education agency heads across the country's 33 provinces are "incompetent" and only secured their positions because of campaigning they conducted for incumbent administration chiefs, a survey says.

Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – Indonesia's top banks Bank Mandiri and Bank BNI have started cutting their lending rates in response to the central bank's rate cut.

As of the end of November last year, Mandiri and BNI together channeled over Rp 270 trillion in loans, making up just over 20 percent of total credits extended by the banking sector.

Jakarta – The Supreme Court convicted former Garuda chief secretary pilot Rohainil Aini on Tuesday for providing a fake assignment letter to off-duty pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto which helped him murder human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned at the status of the free media in Timor Leste as a local newspaper editor faces a possible prison sentence on charges of criminal defamation.

Jakarta – According to Transparency International Indonesia (TII), the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has become one of the institutions that most frequently accept bribes. Most of this alleged bribery is related to management of halal (kosher, permitted under Islam) certificates.

Jakarta – The Indonesian chapter of Transparency International has named Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara, as the most corrupt city in Indonesia in a list released Wednesday.

Mark Dodd – East Timor's Gusmao Government yesterday denied claims by the Fretilin opposition that several million dollars' worth of unaccounted expenditure involved corruption.

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – The regional elections in 2008 have been quite successful considering the low number of election disputes filed with the Constitutional Court, says the Court chief.

"During 2008 we received only 27 complaints on election disputes. Of the complaints, we examined only four cases," Court chief Moh. Mahfud MD told the press here Tuesday.

Her Excellency
The Secretary of State
Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton

Dear Secretary Clinton:

Presidential hopeful Rizal Ramli was questioned by police Tuesday for a second time as a suspect in last year's protests against fuel price increases, which became violent.

A former chief economic minister who has declared his presidential bid, Rizal was grilled about what police considered to be "provocative speeches" he had made prior to the demonstration in June 2008.

The Papua Customary Council, which represents tribal interests in the Indonesian province of Papua, says some 500 Indonesian police burnt down 30 houses and killed 32 pigs at Tingginere village on Sunday.

The wave of destruction began after police shot dead a local man during a clash with an armed group outside the village two days earlier.

Nurseffi Dwi Wahyuni, Jakarta – As many as 500,000 casual, contract and permanent workers will loose their jobs if no orders come in to ensure industrial activity continues.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – A legislative candidate from Lampung, Atte Suganda, says he never thought people would ask him directly for funds to repair a road and football field themselves.