Canberra – An Indonesian court's ruling that the country's anti-terror laws can't be applied retroactively does not necessarily mean those already convicted in the Bali bombings will be set free, the Australian government said Friday.

Canberra – East Timor's economic future would be given more weight in talks over oil and gas royalties if Labor was elected, Opposition Leader Mark Latham said today.

A riot in the East Timorese capital Dili this week has turned the spotlight on simmering political tensions in the country. Cornelio Gama, a dissident former commander of Falintil who goes by his jungle codename L-7 led about a hundred supporters in a demonstration against the government. The government denies that it's facing a serious challenge.

Dadan Kuswaraharja, Jakarta – Worker and environment activists demonstrated at the PT Newmont Mining Group Jakarta office following the exposure of pollution in the Gulf of Buyat which has cased Minamata sickness. They were demanding that Newmont take responsibility.

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Puteh will still be free to resume his duties as Aceh governor and the province's civil emergency administrator, after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has finished questioning him in a graft scam, a minister has said.

P.C. Naommy and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Non-governmental organizations grouped in the Coalition Against Debt (KAU) called for the establishment of an independent body to audit World Bank loans to the country to determine whether or not they must be repaid in full.

Tiarma Siboro and Ruslan Sangadji, Jakarta/Palu – Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) called for the withdrawal of reinforcement troops and police personnel from Central Sulawesi on Wednesday for their failure to stop renewed attacks in Poso and Palu.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri officially stripped Abdullah Puteh of his powers as Aceh governor and administrator of the civil emergency on Wednesday.

However, Puteh's lawyers say the move means Puteh would be back at work in his job as early as this week.

P.C. Naommy, Jakarta – A non-governmental organization has alleged that smuggling and trading in endangered bird species continue unabated, despite legislation that prohibits the illegal activities.

Syofiardi Bachyul and Slamet Susanto, Padang/Yogyakarta – The theft of eggs of three protected turtle species in West Sumatra is threatening the very existence of the turtles, researcher Harfiandri Damanhuri has warned.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Ministry of Forestry will issue new regulations to establish strict conditions for firms operating in protected forests, in a bid to minimize environmental destruction.

Jakarta – A military analyst and a legislator called on lawmakers on Wednesday to delay the deliberation of the Indonesian Military (TNI) bill, as the draft was flawed.

State troops have killed more than 230 suspected separatist rebels in Aceh province since martial law was lifted two months ago, an official said Wednesday (21/7/04).

Police spokesman Senior Commissioner Anjaya said that from May 19 to July 19, troops killed 232 members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). That's an average of more than four killings a day.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Aside from solving the existing problems that hamper investment, the government could also provide tax incentives for both local and foreign investors to lure them into investing their money here, a top businessman has suggested.

Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) decided on Wednesday that perforated ballot papers in the July 5 polls could be disposed of only after a president is installed on October 5.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – With the presidency appearing to slip through its fingers, Golkar Party is proposing a permanent coalition among parties that control the most seats in the House of Representatives to ensure a strong and effective government.

Jakarta – Mr Jusuf Kalla, front runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's running mate, said his camp was not worried about the manoeuvres of political leaders to form coalitions.

He asserted that meeting voters at the grassroots level was of more strategic value than talking to politicians who claim to have a huge support base.

United States officials are debating when they might be able to resume military aid to Indonesia now that the US Department of Justice has indicted an alleged separatist for the murder of two Americans in Papua province in August 2002.

James Wong Wing On – Indonesia, Malaysia's giant neighbour to the south, is more than a frequent source of haze, illegal migrants, maids and terrorists.

Jakarta – Although the government has yet to issue regulations on the gas sector, private firms have started building a network for gas distribution, showing great confidence in the future prospects for the business.

Jakarta – Responding to a letter sent by East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao, the East Timorese parliament and East Timorese Attorney General Longuinhos Monteiro stating that the former governor of East Timor Abilio Soares was innocent, Indonesian foreign minister Nur Hassan Wirajuda said that no party is entitled to intervene in the legal system of Indonesia.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Indonesia accepts the Swedish prosecutors' decision to drop charges against Hasan Tiro, the exiled former chief of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Tuesday.

But Hassan urged Sweden to continue the legal action against the self-styled GAM leaders Zaini Abdullah and Malik Mahmood.

The Australian Democrats have backed a call for New Zealand to mediate in negotiations between East Timor and Australia over the Timor Sea boundary.

The mediation is expected to determine the seabed boundary, thereby dividing control of an estimated $30 billion in royalties from Timor Sea oil and gas deposits.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – Even a vicious dry-season rainstorm that lasted nearly 24 hours couldn't dampen spirits among Bali tourists and the island's hospitality industry. Nearly two years after bombs killed more than 200 people in the main resort area of Kuta Beach, foreigners are streaming back to Bali.

Tim Johnston, Jakarta – Indonesia soldiers carry body of Said Adnan, who has been identified as a governor for Free Aceh Movement in North Aceh. File photo – Jan. 16, 2004

Reports from Indonesia's northern province of Aceh say that more than 200 people have been killed by the army and police in the past two months.

During the first round of this year's Indonesian Presidential election campaign, presidential candidates demonstrated their singing prowess to the public. The campaign was characterised by the use of artistic performance. It was also distinguished by a lack of violence that has marred previous Indonesian polls.

Presenter/Interviewer: Claudette Werden

Australia – By the medium of our Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, is presenting a very unattractive face to the world, not least our Pacific and South-East Asian neighbours, as it negotiates with East Timor over borders between the two countries, and rights to some of the oil royalties in the disputed areas.

Reporter: Tanya Nolan

Tony Eastely: East Timor says that if it can't resolve its differences with Australia over maritime rights it wants New Zealand to step in as a mediator. The idea was floated by the country's foreign minister, Jose Ramos Horta, in a speech he gave in Sydney last night.

Reporter: Nance Haxton

Mark Colvin: The Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has strongly rebuffed criticisms and complaints from East Timor over the controversial Sunrise Gas Field negotiations.

Palu – Central Sulawesi remained calm on Monday, a day after masked gunmen killed a Christian minister in Palu, as Christian and Muslim leaders condemned the attack and urged their laity to shun revenge.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has denied pressuring 274,000 employees of state plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) XII to vote for President Megawati Sukarnoputri and running mate Hasyim Muzadi in the July 5 presidential election.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) is planning to start discussing the revised bill on the Indonesian Military (TNI) during the recess period that will end on August 14.

Surabaya – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)'s presidential campaign team in East Java province has denied intimidating 274,000 workers of state plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) XII in an attempt to get them to vote for Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi in the July 5 election.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Several election workers have admitted to tampering with poll results, in yet another scandal to hit Indonesia's first direct presidential vote on July 5.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) said yesterday that it has fired seven local officials from West Kalimantan province for vote tampering.

Jon Afrizal, Jambi – About 1,300 people from the Kubu tribe living in Bukit Duabelas National Park, Jambi, are being marginalized as a result of serious damage to the protected forest.

The need to earn a living has forced some members of the tribe to participate in illegal logging, which has contributed greatly to rapid deforestation in the park.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – For three years, former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid has not made any attempt to mend his relationship with Megawati Soekarnoputri after she replaced her as president in July 2001.

Jakarta – Indonesian troops have killed more than 230 alleged separatist guerrillas in Aceh province since martial law was lifted two months ago.

Some 232 alleged members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) – or almost four people a day on average – died in clashes between May 19 and July 19, said Police Senior Commissioner Anjaya.

Dili – Police in East Timor fired tear gas on Tuesday to disperse dozens of former freedom fighters demonstrating outside the main government building demanding more reform, eyewitnesses and police said.

There's confusion tonight in Dili as to the whereabouts of East Timor's dissident Falantil guerilla fighter Cornelio Gama, otherwise known as L7.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – With interest rates at a record low, and plenty of cheap credit floating around, it is hardly surprising that there is substantial optimism in the Indonesian automobile industry.

Dili – East Timorese police fired off rubber Bullets and tear gas Tuesday to disperse hundreds of protesters who had occupied the tiny nation's government building to demand immediate elections.

The first person to be convicted of human rights abuses in the lead up to East Timor's independence referendum has begun his three year jail sentence. The former Indonesian appointed governor of East Timor, Abilio Soares, has been convicted of involvement in the bloody violence which claimed up to 14 hundred lives during the 1999 vote.

Nani Afrida and Tiarma Siboro, Banda Aceh/Jakarta – Acehnese people will again have to face the bitter reality of the government's failure to consult and to take into account their aspirations every time it takes a major policy decision, even though the decision will greatly affect their lives.

Andreas Harsono, Jakarta – When Artine Utomo, the chief executive of "Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia" or "TPI" invited former general Susilio Bambang Yudhoyono to a show hosted by her TV station, little did she realise that his popularity would leave an impressionable mark on her.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Although law enforcers have stepped up a gear in their corruption investigations involving lawmaker Nurdin Halid and Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh, skepticism remains widespread that the cases are merely political commodities ahead of the runoff presidential election.

Tiarma Siboro and Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The imprisonment of former East Timor governor Abilio Soares is maintaining the immunity of military top brass in the gross human rights violations in the former Indonesian province in 1999, a rights campaigner says.

Dili – East Timor's president said Monday that Indonesian security forces were responsible for the violence that swept his country in 1999 _ not the territory's last governor, who began serving a jail term in Indonesia over the weekend.

Shawn Donnan, Jakarta – BP has completed the relocation of villagers at the future site of its Tangguh liquid natural gas project in the remote Indonesian province of Papua and expects to begin "peak construction" by the end of this year, according to a senior executive.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Former East Timor governor Abilio Soares began serving on Saturday a three-year prison term for his role in the 1999 violence in the former Indonesian province, becoming the first person to be jailed for the bloodshed.

Ben Terrall – On July 5, Indonesians went to the polls to vote in the country's first direct presidential election.