Violence has flared in the capital of Indonesia's troubled province of West Papua as security forces moved to break up a flag-raising ceremony by independence supporters, a Sydney-based human rights monitor said today.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes it, may be contributing to the extinction of some of Papua's 250 tribes. With a population of 2.4 million, 15,000 people in the province have developed the disease, while 660,000 are HIV positive.

James Balowski, Jakarta – The new government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has barely been in office one month but has already broken a key election promises – to seek a peaceful solution to the prolonged conflict in Indonesia's northern-most province of Aceh.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – After five hours of immigration checks in Motaain, on the border of East Timor and Indonesia, 62 people were deported from the neighboring country, finally arriving on Monday evening in Atambua, the capital of Belu regency in East Nusa Tenggara.

The government has set itself a target of raising exports of agricultural products to US$9 billion in 2009, or more than double this year's estimate of $3.7 billion, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Delight and relief after the successful elections lifted the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) by 6.2 percent to a 37-month high of 105.8 in October, Danareksa Research Institute (DRI) announced on Tuesday.

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta – Two Malaysian militants testifying in the trial of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir acknowledged on Tuesday that the elderly cleric was the spiritual leader of the regional terrorist group, Jamaah Islamiyah (JI).

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The public will pay up to 40 percent more for fuel by early next year, as the government insists on raising the price of the commodity in order to lower subsidy costs, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Tuesday.

The government has been facing increasingly higher subsidy costs, which has been soaring due to red-hot global oil prices.

Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta – The country's retail sector is projected to continue enjoying strong sales growth of between 25 percent and 30 percent next year on the back of robust consumer consumption and increased purchasing power of households as economic growth accelerates, according to an industry association.

Jean-Pierre Catry – Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary general, told the Security Council this year that: "Limited revenue and widespread poverty within the country continue to pose severe constraints on Timor-Leste's social and economic development.

David Isenberg – The four-day Indo Defense Expo 2004 arms show in Jakarta last week turned out to be one of those shindigs where everyone, both buyers and sellers, was a winner. But the future benefit for the people of Indonesia and the Southeast Asian region remains to be seen.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has called for a revision of human rights Law Number 39/1999, to empower it with the right to press state institutions to follow up on the findings of its investigations.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government is drafting a new decree setting out even more onerous rules for foreign scientists conducting research here due to a growing number of "illegal studies", an official says.

James Balowski, Jakarta – For the second time since the murder of renowned Indonesian human rights activist Munir, his family has been threatened – this time with a clear warning not to blame the Indonesian military (TNI) for his death.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – Following the death of renowned human rights activist Munir on September 7, non-government organisations have been urging the government to sign the United Nations 1998 Declaration on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders.

Jongker Rumthe, Manado – Seven boozing policemen whose unruly escapades almost caused a riot in Tuminting, Manado, have been thrown into the drunk tank until they are disciplined, the North Sulawesi Police say.

Jakarta – Since its grand opening 10 months ago, the management of the TransJakarta Busway has contributed Rp 33.89 billion (US$3.76 million) to the city's coffers, however most of that has already been spent on the salaries and expenses incurred by the city.

Jakarta – Residents in several flood-prone areas across the capital have not yet prepared for potential floods this rainy season, although the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) has warned Jakartans that rains would peak within two weeks.

M. Rizal Maslan, Jakarta – The TNI (armed forces) says that it will give up its military business provided that its funding through the state budget is realised. This is because soldiers are educated to fight not conduct business.

Cynthia Banham – The East Timorese Foreign Minister, Jose Ramos-Horta, has accused Australian officials of attempted blackmail during recent negotiations over the new nation's maritime boundaries.

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta – The government is considering revising upward next year's state budget deficit to 1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) from a previous projection of 0.8 percent, the finance minister said.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The House of Represantives legislation body (Baleg) agreed on Monday to delay all bill deliberations, pending discussions between the government and the legislators on which bills should be dealt with first.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office promised Monday to complete hundreds of corruption cases throughout the country within three months, including a review of big cases.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Vice President Jusuf Kalla called on members of the Indonesian Civil Servants Association (Korpri) across the country to comply with regulations set by the government, saying that the bureaucracy was the government's political machine.

Muhammad Nafik and Bontank Poer and Slamet Susanto, Surakarta – A showdown between former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid and incumbent chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Hasyim Muzadi over the NU chairmanship heated up on the second day of the organization's national congress here on Monday with two camps mobilizing their ranks.

M. Azis Tunny, Ambon – The Ambon District Court sentenced on Monday the secretary-general of the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM), Moses Tuanakotta, to nine years in prison for subversion.

The sentence was six years lighter than what prosecutors had been seeking.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The establishment of West Papua province could remain a stumbling block in the relations between the central government and Papuans, if it is not resolved in a way that both sides agree upon.

Jakarta – An Indonesian Islamist group said yesterday it was sending volunteers to help Iraq's resistance forces.

The Islamic Defenders' Front opened registration on Friday and its operational chairman, Machsuni Kaloko, said that 300 people had signed up so far.

Jakarta – Muslim scholars stressed at the weekend that the propagation of Islamic teachings was actually a call to discuss the teachings of Islam.

Muhammad Nafik and Suherdjoko, Surakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened a five-day congress of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) here on Sunday, with its senior leaders strongly criticizing the group, the largest Muslim organization in the country, for its involvement in politics.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – A three-day exhibit, Indo Defense Expo 2004, showcasing defense equipment, concluded on Saturday, providing Indonesia with opportunities to replenish its defense equipment and technology despite the embargo imposed by the United States and its allies.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – "We need to find other sources of income beside our salary," said First Sgt. Yono (not his real name), a 36-year-old officer of the police's Mobile Brigade, adding that his monthly salary was around Rp 1 million (US$111.11).

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – An intensive peace process should follow the visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, or else local people will lose trust in the new administration, observers say.

Tom Noble, Dili – East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao wants Australia to be fairer in negotiations over disputed oil and gas reserves, saying the delays are profoundly affecting the new nation's economy and it was "a matter of life and death for the state we are building".

Admitting to hailing from Demak, this woman was charged with being the commander of Inong Balee and sentenced to 18 years in prison by a special tribunal. The drama began on the side of the road in Lamno, Aceh Jaya, in early March.

Jakarta – A conflict over palm oil business interests is suspected to have been the trigger behind the armed clash between TNI (armed forces) troops and the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in the village of Seuneubok Bace in East Aceh on Thursday November 25.

Mark Dodd – An Australian businessman working in East Timor has been found guilty by the World Bank of corruption in connection with the procurement of school equipment for the impoverished country.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – Tangerang's main river, the Cisadane, is now lined with clusters of home factories, which has prompted environmentalists to demand the regency administration to get rid of the buildings and return the riverbanks to their previous function as green areas.

Two private companies are apparently continuing land reclamation work along the coastline of Dadap village in Kosambi district, Tangerang regency, despite a ban issued by Regent Ismet Iskandar.

District chief Rudi Maesal said on Saturday he had no idea if PT Koperasi Pasir Putih and PT Parung Harapan had resumed their reclamation projects.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government has officially announced that environmental pollution has taken place in Buyat Bay, Minahasa, North Sulawesi.

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono assigned Religious Minister Maftuh Basyuni to find out how prevalent religious discrimination is in the country and to review the controversial joint ministerial letter on the construction of places of worship.

Blontank Poer and Muhammad Nafik, Surakarta – Tensions ran high on the first day of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) congress here on Sunday as senior ulema at odds over the nomination of incumbent leader Hasyim Muzadi launched an open campaign for their respective candidates.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – In order to prevent the already over-populated city from further ballooning due to the influx of new arrivals after Idul Fitri, the Jakarta administration is set to launch an operation targeting new migrants early next month.

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, Vientiane – While police may be intensifying their hunt for terrorist suspect Azahari bin Husin, they admit they are still playing an extended catch-me-if-you-can game with the notorious bombmaker. With a small legion of followers and a continued cash supply, the Malaysian national seems to be as effective in evading arrest as he is at making bombs.

Reporter: Mark Colvin

Mark Colvin: East Timor's Foreign Minister, Jose Ramos Horta, says the relationship between his country and Australia seems to be at its lowest point since the liberation in 1999.

Eight former pro-Jakarta militiamen have been jailed in East Timor for crimes against humanity committed in the mayhem surrounding a 1999 UN-backed vote that led to the country's separation from Indonesia.

A special court Thursday convicted the eight of abducting and torturing two independence supporters in Dili in May 1999.

Michael Casey, Buyat Bay – Mention Newmont Mining Corp. in this impoverished seaside community, and villagers angrily recount how pollution from its gold mine has killed the fish and sickened residents with headaches, nausea and tremors.

Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) patriarch and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid has made it clear that he is extremely displeased with NU executive chairman Hasyim Muzadi and senior leaders are talking about forming a "rival" NU if Muzadi wins a further five-year term at its congress.

Arin Widiyanti, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is to be sued by 4.1 million Acehnese people on the grounds that his broke his campaign promise by extending the civil emergency in Aceh. The suit is be registered with the Central Jakarta State Court by the People's Lawyers Union (Serikat Pengacara Rakyat, SPR).

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – With Rp 389 million (US$43,000) in assets, Minister of Agriculture Anton Apriyantono is the "poorest" of 11 Cabinet members whose wealth has been verified by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).