Jakarta – Forty-seven people have been arrested in East Timor in an operation against gang violence in the tiny territory, the United Nations said in a statement on Thursday.

Dili – An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 East Timorese have rallied to the governing party, Fretilin, at the country's second city, Baucau, about 122 kilometres east of Dili.

Mark Dodd – East Timor's parliament is to vote on a conscription bill that aims to fill the ranks of the country's ethnically divided defence force, but which critics say could trigger renewed social upheaval.

East Timor Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said he would not run for the presidency later this year unless there were no other candidates. "I do not want to (stand in elections) for the parliament, the government or the presidency," Ramos-Horta told AFP.

Max Lane, Jakarta – Despite right-wing intimidation, the founding congress of the National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) successfully concluded on January 20. A leadership was elected, which has already had its first meeting, preparing for a year of "all out" political campaigning.

Ardimas Sasdi, Jakarta – The plan of the government to "privatize", an euphemism for running higher state institutions under a private model, reminds the writer of a touching short message service (SMS) from a nephew studying at Bandung's Padjadjaran University (UNPAD).

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The government-backed Indonesian Commission for the Protection of Children (KPAI) has opposed the imposition of corporal punishment on children in schools, saying it is still rife in state-run schools, Islamic schools and Islamic boarding schools in East Java.

It is a case about a band, in Bali, with a pedigree problem. Two musicians are standing trial in Denpasar District Court after singing a crowd favourite at a charity concert that likened police to dogs.

The musicians have been charged with "deliberately insulting a state institution in public".

Mark Dodd – Indonesia is planning to buy coastal patrol vessels to bolster border protection with The Philippines and to crack down on illegal fishing and people-smuggling to Australia.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Thousands of people fleeing a crackdown on Papuan separatists are now facing food shortages.

The crisis is hitting refugees in Yamo district, Puncak Jaya regency, Papua, after Indonesian Military and police attacks on Free Papua Movement (FPM) rebels in the area.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The sharp drop in actual investment last year indicates that there are serious problem in the government's industrial development policies, a senior economist says.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The government will cooperate with the Attorney General's Office and police to enforce a 1992 law on social security programs to provide protection for workers, says a minister.

Prodita Sabarini, Jakarta – Craving change in the film industry, filmmakers and actors agree the law governing filmmaking in Indonesia needs to be revisited.

They said the 1992 Film Law was too rigid and was counter-productive to artists' freedom of expression and was hindering their creativity.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The new labor rules governing dismissals and setting redundancy payouts will focus on low-income employees with monthly wages of below Rp 2 million (US$222), the head of the national insurance company says.

Suspended PT Jamsostek president Iwan Pontjowinoto said the new scheme would protect the rights of blue collar workers.

Jakarta – An increasing number of Indonesian Military (TNI) officers are being dismissed from active duty after committing criminal misconduct, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said Friday.

"It is understandable that many low-ranking TNI officers commit crimes because of economic problems," Juwono told reporters in his office in Jakarta as quoted by Detikcom news portal.

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – Lawmakers and the Indonesian Military (TNI) are disagreeing on whether or not soldiers should be allowed to vote in a general election.

Djoko Susilo, a member of the House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing defense, believes a soldier, as a citizen, has the right to vote.

Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Clad in a white dress and scarf, 20-year-old Liza Wahyuni binti Sulaiman kneeled on the platform. Two wilatatulhisbah, or religious police officers, stood next to her. She was about to be caned, and in public.

Jakarta – As the real estate sector has heated up, evictions carried out on "public order grounds" have become more and more routine.

Following a series of evictions in different North and West Jakarta over the last week, squatters and street traders feel so vulnerable that even the sight of public order officers can spark chaos.

Jakarta – Lawyers representing Suciwati, the widow of murdered rights activist Munir Said Thalib, expressed hope Friday that the police would come up with substantial new evidence to reopen the 2004 murder case.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Hoping to avoid the tarnished image of the 2004 General Elections Commission (KPU), the House of Representatives is drafting new legislation on an independent and accountable elections commission to organize democratic, free and fair general elections in 2009.

Jakarta – Indonesia is doing all it can to fight bird flu, the welfare minister said on Friday, a day after officials announced the country's 63rd death from the virus.

Indonesia, which has the world's highest number of human fatalities from bird flu, has been trying to step up efforts to stamp out the disease after a flare up in cases this year following a brief lull.

Riyadi Suparno, Jakarta – Once a symbol of corruption, state oil firm Pertamina has embarked on an internal reform program under new leadership and has reaped billions of dollars in investments to double its oil and gas output.

Jakarta – More than 200 members of the Emergency Ambulance 118 Workers Union rallied Thursday at the Hotel Indonesia traffic, demanding the city administration expedite the establishment of the regional public service board to accommodate them.

Imanuddin Razak, Jakarta – A committee responsible for recruiting candidates for the National Commission on Human Rights said Thursday it would seek legal advice from the House of Representatives regarding a public demand for reforms in the commission.

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – Rights group Imparsial said Thursday the government-proposed transition period of two to three years to alter the military tribunal bill, which enables soldiers to be tried in a civil court for criminal offenses, is lengthy and unnecessary.

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Rusmiyati, a matron at Tarakan Hospital in Central Jakarta, has routinely requested leave in the first quarter of the year, after most of her friends go on holiday.

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has unveiled a new set of guidelines for soldiers as part of its efforts to conform to a 2004 military reform law.

TNI commander Air Chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto said the new doctrine bans the armed forces from active involvement in the country's sociopolitical affairs.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – In the latest – and somewhat populist – take on the politically sensitive issue of foreign borrowing, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia no longer needs its main creditors and donors grouping – the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) – and will rely more on its own resources for development funding.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives team responsible for the "anti-pornography and pornoaction bill" have changed its name to the "pornography bill".

"After the team removed the terms 'anti-' and 'pornoaction', the bill's name is now officially the pornography bill," Balkan Kaplale, who heads the special committee for the bill's formulation, said Wednesday at the House.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Employees of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) threatened Wednesday to stage a national strike.

They claimed to have the full support of workers in other parts of the transportation sector in taking industrial action over management and labor conditions at the company.

Terrorism experts warn Jemaah Islamiah (JI) could be re-energised by two recent deadly police raids in the violence-stricken Indonesian town of Poso, in central Sulawesi.

Prodita Sabarini, Jakarta – Some 26 women lined up in pairs in the front yard of a house in Taman Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Sunday. Each of the women took turns trying to dodge an attack with an effective punch, strike or kick.

Verrianto Madjowa, Gorontalo – At least 50 environmental activists and members of the people experienced violence with regard to environment and natural resources management during 2006. The cases of violence occurred in South-East Sulawesi, Sumbawa, Manado, Aceh, Kalimantan and Jakarta.

Janet Fyfe-Yeomans – Indonesian troops were recorded by a previously unknown top secret Australian listening station discussing the execution of five young Australian journalists.

The RAAF No. 3 Telecommunications Unit was so highly classified that little reference to its existence was made even in formal air force publications.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives and the Defense Ministry reached an agreement Tuesday to alter a bill to enable military personnel to be tried in a civilian court for criminal offense.

Jakarta – Forty-five-year-old Melawai market trader Suradi finds it difficult to imagine what the future holds for his business with the construction of a trade center going up all around him.

"I have been evicted twice before. Once from my stamp stall in Kramat (Central Jakarta) and three years later from my food stall in Slipi (West Jakarta)," Suradi said.

Jakarta – The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) representative to Indonesia, Gianfranco Rotiglioni, asked the Indonesian government Tuesday to continue efforts to advance gender equality by providing women greater access to education, economic opportunities and reproductive healthcare, and eradicating sexual exploitation.

Jakarta – The Trade Ministry has issued a regulations banning the export of sand, soil and topsoil in order to protect the environment from degradation and maintain the nation's current maritime boundaries.

Anissa S. Febrina, Jakarta – Imagine Jakarta in 2015. Some 16.8 billion Jakartans step out of mass transit vehicles or private cars and make their way into office buildings, schools, trade centers and malls to start their day.

Ruslan Sangadji, Poso – Police continued their hunt for suspected militants in Poso on Tuesday, a day after 13 people and one policeman were killed in a bloody clash between police and suspects.

Central Sulawesi Police Brig. Gen. Badrodin Haiti blamed the armed civilians for triggering the clash by throwing handmade explosives at the officers.

Adi Warsidi, Banda Aceh – The Acehnese government will continue to struggle for the formation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (KKR) even though the Constitutional Court has put the law on the formation of the commission on ice.

Yogyakarta – Dozens of disabled people reported Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University (UGM) on Tuesday to the National Commission on Human Rights for discrimination.

The protesters grouped in the National Anti-Discrimination Front said new university rules barred all disabled people from sitting tertiary entrance tests.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – High-ranking figures in Jemaah Islamiah have opened a new front in their terrorism campaign on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, where nine of their fighters and a police officer have been killed in the latest gun battle.

Ika Krismantari, Jakarta – The Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) has found indications of irregularities worth about Rp 18 trillion (about US$2 billion) in cost-recovery claims submitted by oil and gas firms between 2002 and 2005.

Max Lane, Jakarta – Around 200 pick-up trucks and cars comprised the long snake of a protest caravan making its way along Jakarta's main thoroughfare, Jalan Thamrin, after a rally outside the Presidential Palace, where speakers called on the people to "withdraw the mandate" of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Peter Boyle, Yogyakarta – Intimidation by armed right-wing thugs and police harassment failed to disperse the January 18-20 founding congress of Indonesia's new National Liberation Party of Unity (Papernas) at Kaliurang, near Yogyakarta in Indonesia.

Palu – Indonesia has deployed an additional 200 paramilitary police reinforcements to the restive town of Poso after a shootout during a hunt for suspected militants left 11 people dead.

Jakarta – Indonesia's economy would be poised for higher economic growth this year were it not for inability of the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to deliver, according to a staunch critic of the government.

P. Parameswaran, Washington – The United States is looking into signing an investment treaty with Indonesia this year to set the pace for a larger free trade pact that could boost bilateral trade by up to 40 percent.

Hopes were high last September that peace would last in Poso after police executed three Christian men convicted of carrying out a series of killings in the Central Sulawesi town in 2000.