Banda Aceh – A district court in the restive province of Aceh sentenced Tuesday the mayor of the capital, Banda Aceh, to five years in prison for embezzling more than US$386,000 in state funds.

Banda Aceh Mayor Zulkarnain was found guilty of violating anti-corruption laws. In previous court hearings, government prosecutors demanded 10 years in prison for Zulkarnain.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – After leaving the post vacant for more than two months, the Indonesian Military (TNI) appointed Lt. Gen. Hadi Waluyo as commander of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) on Monday.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Indonesia's self-appointed guardians of morality, the once disbanded radical Islamic Defenders' Front (FPI), have once again resorted to violence in the nation's capital, Jakarta.

Tom Allard – East Timor is making a last-minute attempt to secure a $3 billion liquid natural gas processing plant and pipeline on its soil as negotiations over the Timor Gap oil and gas reserves resume in Dili.

Agus Sumule, Manokwari – The downfall of former president Soeharto on May 21, 1998, undoubtedly fueled the widespread revival of free speech among the people – including Papuans – in determining their own future.

Jakarta – At the very start of his tenure, newly installed Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono has fired his first shot. He has promised that he wouldn't be asking never mind begging from America on the issue of the US arms embargo.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Calls are mounting for Cabinet members to relinquish their posts in political parties and business enterprises to avoid conflict of interests and to allow them to focus on state duties.

Jakarta – While giving assurances that there would be no populist measures in its economic policies, the new government remains cautious over whether or not to cut fuel subsidies in the near future.

Fachruddin Majeri Mangunjaya, Jakarta – We set off for a Bajau village on Kabalutan island, Palu from the port of Ampana, on Sulawesi's eastern peninsula. The journey was exhausting, but the still, clear waters of the Togean islands – which Kabalutan is among – was compensation enough.

Jakarta – Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) governor Abdullah Puteh has said that the existence of the Free Aceh Movement in Aceh is still of concern.

Therefore, he has suggested three alternatives as regards the state of civil emergency in the province, which shall end on November 19.

Anti-arms trade campaigners have today attacked the Government for ignoring human rights considerations in its decision to relax end-use undertakings on the use of UK-supplied military equipment in war-torn Aceh, despite Indonesia's appalling human rights record in the territory.

It all sounds too familiar. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono vowed to make fighting corruption one of the top priorities of his government, declaring in his inauguration speech last week that he was personally leading the campaign.

Semarang – About 2,000 people calling themselves the Marhaen People's Alliance staged protest on Monday here, demanding local prosecutors stop a probe into a Rp 14 billion (US$1.5 million) corruption case involving Central Java councillors.

The protesters said the graft charges were politically motivated and should be halted.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – In an apparent start of the government's "shock therapy" on graft and terrorism, the government announced on Monday it planned to send people convicted of serious corruption and terror offenses to Nusakambangan prison island.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Worldwide oil prices that have zipped over historical highs are beginning to take a toll on domestic manufacturers, inevitably forcing them to jack up prices.

Chairman of the Indonesian Food and Beverages Association Thomas Darmawan said that many producers were mulling over whether to pass the adverse effect onto consumers.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – Mr. President, you have a tough job ahead: Indonesia has been ranked as one of the most difficult places in the world to do business in, a new report from the World Bank Group finds.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Cabinet members dealing with security decided on Sunday their short-term priority programs, including a comprehensive review of the state of civil emergency in Aceh.

Zakki P. Hakim, Jakarta – In its effort to remove Indonesia from the list of non-cooperative countries in the global fight against money laundering, the government should not adopt measures that would be harmful to local businesses and affect competitiveness, a business group says.

The financial markets were not overly enthusiastic about the economic lineup in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's United Indonesia Cabinet. But neither did they punish the new government. Both the Jakarta Stock Exchange's composite price index and the rupiah remained rather flat on Thursday and Friday, waiting for positive new factors to rekindle enthusiasm.

Yogyakarta – The National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais said on Saturday he would let Muhammadiyah followers build their own political party if they perceived that PAN had failed to accommodate their aspirations. "I think it is a good idea to establish a new party.

At least two known vigilante groups have been conducting raids and trashing entertainment spots across Greater Jakarta during Ramadhan fasting month. Although Jakarta Police said they objected to the vandalism, the police only guarded the raid and had yet to arrest any of the groups' members. The Jakarta Post asked some residents about their opinion on the vandalism.

Jakarta (Agencies) – The newly appointed defense minister said on Monday Indonesia would shift its purchase of military equipment to nations other than the United States, its traditional supplier.

Bandarlampung – Four students are in intensive care in a hospital after the roof of their senior high school in Kotabumi, North Lampung regency collapsed a few days ago.

Fourteen students were admitted to the hospital after the incident on Friday, but 10 of them were later discharged.

Denpasar – The president of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao, rejected [the idea] he was not close to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and that this would be problematic for bilateral relations. On Saturday (23 October) in Legian, Bali, Xanana said that he was optimistic that the close relations they had established would continue in the future.

Puji Santoso, Pekanbaru – The Prosecutor's Office has named the head of the Kampar Forestry and Plantations Office (Kadishutbun), Kamril Nur, as a suspect in the embezzlement of Rp 3.8 billion (US$422,000) allocated for the development of an oil palm plantation in Kampar regency.

Luke McIlveen – Hundreds of Australian soldiers were used as guinea pigs by the army in tests of an anti-malaria drug which has psychotic side effects while they were serving in East Timor.

Jakarta – Bargain hunting by mostly local investors meant shares on the Jakarta stock market rebounded on Friday after posting losses for consecutive days following investor reservations about the lineup of economic ministers in the new Cabinet.

Puji Santoso, Pekanbaru – Although Indonesia is not an Islamic state, authorities in Riau province rounded up a number of civil servants for not fasting and food stall owners for opening up shop on Friday.

Riau is known to be a staunch supporter of implementing sharia, or Islamic, law.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – International money-laundering watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decided on Friday to retain Indonesia and five other nations on its list of non-cooperative countries and territories in the battle against money laundering.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's pledge to eradicate rampant corruption could be seriously tested after prosecutors announced on Friday that they had halted an investigation into former mines and energy minister and current legislative leader Ginandjar Kartasasmita's graft case.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Non-governmental organizations demanded on Thursday that the new government make corruption eradication and human rights promotion its priorities.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – "The time for talk and promises is over. It's time to work," said Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono when unveiling his United Indonesia Cabinet late on Wednesday.

Jeffrey Robertson, Canberra – When an old and near-forgotten acquaintance arrives unexpected on your doorstep you're entitled to ask what he wants and why he wants it – two questions that were no doubt on the mind of new Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono when Australian Prime Minister John Howard arrived in Indonesia on Thursday.

I.D. Nugroho, Surabaya – Thousands of salt farmers in Sampang, Sumenep and Pamekasan regencies on Madura Island, East Java province, are facing a crisis due to the falling price of salt, in some cases by 50 percent. Aside from the poor quality of the commodity, the influx of imported salt has been blamed for plummeting prices.

Jakarta – The East Jakarta District Court on Thursday ordered the East Jakarta municipal and Makassar district administrations to rebuild houses in Pinang Ranti they had bulldozed in an illegal eviction earlier this month.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Employers and unions have voiced early doubts about whether newly appointed Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Fahmi Idris will be able to improve the country's poor labor conditions and relations.

Muslim militants in Indonesia's capital have vandalised a cafe in an area popular with foreigners because it was serving beer during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – The Jakarta Police announced on Friday that they objected to the the recent vandalism by at least two known vigilante groups who have been conducting raids and trashing entertainment spots across Greater Jakarta during Ramadhan fasting month.

Fedhly Averouss Bey, Jakarta – The International Non-Government Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID) believes that the economic team in the Indonesian United Cabinet of newly inaugurated President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) will side with donor and creditor nations.

Sari P. Setiogi, Jakarta – The new government has a lot of work to do and non-governmental organizations are closely watching how Cabinet members will address the myriad problems facing the country.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – Although inaugurated three weeks ago, House of Representatives lawmakers will be unable to start their legislative duties until next Wednesday as they are still jostling for chief positions in the House's 11 commissions and auxiliary bodies.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – State Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Gen. (ret) A.M. Hendropriyono, widely known for his loyalty to former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, tendered his resignation after Megawati's successor took the oath of office on Wednesday.

Dan Eaton and Muklis Ali, Jakarta – Indonesia's new President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, swore in his cabinet yesterday, appointing a reformist judge as Attorney-General and vowing to root out corruption. However, his choice of finance officials has raised some eyebrows.

Jakarta – Indonesia's new chief economics minister, Aburizal Bakrie, said his office is pro-business and will seek to improve the government's partnership with the business sector.

Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, Jakarta – It was not the best of starts. Stuttering and full of political jostling. For a selection process that began so positively and transparently a week earlier, key decisions were eventually compromised in the final hours before the belated Cabinet announcement.

Abdul Khalik and Jongker Rumteh, Jakarta/Manado – The North Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office asked the police to seek further verification from scientific experts about the methodology that was used by the police lab to conclude that Buyat Bay in Minahasa, North Sulawesi was heavily polluted.

Ridwan Max Sijabat and Ivy Susanti, Jakarta – Indonesia has deemed the amnesty offered by the Malaysian government to illegal migrants ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday a good start to further enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Jakarta stock market tumbled on Thursday amid reservations from investors over the Cabinet of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, specifically the ministers dealing with money matters.

Some market analysts theorized that the team may be unwilling to push through badly needed economic reform programs.

Suwarjono, Jakarta – Just because they weren't wearing a tie, a journalist was denied entry to the State Palace to cover a cabinet meeting. The in question journalist was in fact a woman.

The incident occurred as the first cabinet meeting was taking place at the presidential offices at the State Palace in Jakarta on Friday October 22.

Jakarta – The structure and makeup of the Indonesian United Cabinet of newly inaugurated President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will not effect any substantial changes because its members are lacking in professionalism, integrity and ability.