Jakarta – Thousands of workers took to the streets in Jakarta and other cities across the country on Thursday to commemorate International Labor Day, which falls on May 1, demanding improvements in legal protection and their welfare.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Despite opposition from minor labor unions, the government has enacted Law No. 13/2003 on industrial relations and labor protection to develop harmonious industrial ties between employers and workers.

Netty Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Soldiers hunting down the suspects in last month's raid against the Wamena military district arsenal, clashed with suspected rebels in Koyawage forest in the Papua regency of Jayawijaya on Thursday.

Steven Gutkin, Jakarta – The United States remains ready to normalise relations with the Indonesian army, but obstacles including suspicions that soldiers were involved in the murder of two Americans are preventing full restoration of ties, the US ambassador said yesterday.

Tim Johnston – If the shipping lanes of South-East Asia have their dangers, doing business on land can be just as fraught. Western oil and mining companies have discovered to their cost that the locals are not always welcoming. BP is the latest multinational to test the area's resolve.

Jakarta – With the two-week deadline set for Aceh rebels to accept terms for peace talks coming closer, the Indonesian government is facing mounting pressure to save the truce it signed last year.

There have been some economists who have argued that exiting the existing IMF programme while simultaneously devising a new economic strategy puts Indonesia's macro-economic stability at risk. They also argue that without the IMF, the government could stray from maintaining economically prudent policies.

Thousands of Indonesian workers staged May Day protests in several cities on Thursday, calling for wage increases and the resignation of President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

In Jakarta, about 2,000 workers representing various trade unions gathered at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle before marching to the presidential palace.

A Malaysian-owned plantation firm whose director was ordered jailed for causing smoke haze on Indonesia's Sumatra island has agreed to pay more than one million dollars in compensation, an official said.

Becky Lipscombe, Jakarta – Indonesians have a new idol – a hip-swinging singer who's gyrated her way into fame, fortune, and a whole lot of trouble.

Inul Daratista has achieved the level of success where a second name becomes unnecessary. Inul is what her legions of fans scream, it's what the chat show hosts gossip about; even those who denounce her call her just Inul.

Wayne Miller, Bali and agencies – Indonesia has lashed out at Australia, the United States and its allies for "a gruesome war" in Iraq, saying it had brought human suffering to a new level.

Jakarta – The Aceh peace facilitator, the Henry Dunant Centre (HDC), is now trying to set a new date and venue for peace talks between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), after the former pulled out of a planned Joint Council meeting in Geneva last week.

Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir began his defence against accusations that he leads a deadly Islamic terror network, saying God would be his judge.

"I testify that there is no other absolute ruler, protector or judge except Allah," the white-robed Bashir, who allegedly heads the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network, told the five judges.

Arya Abhiseka, Jakarta – Indonesia's role in drug trafficking has increased significantly in recent years as it has not only become a transit port but also a major producer.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Tempo magazine journalists Ahmad Taufik and Karaniya Dharmasaputra testified on Tuesday that defendant David Tjioe, alias A. Miauw, an aide to tycoon Tomy Winata, had physically attacked the weekly's chief editor, Bambang Harymurti, at the Central Jakarta Police station.

New York – The United Nations Security Council has approved a one-year extension of the UN mission in East Timor, while diplomatic sources caution that the new nation could experience massive difficulties after the world body pulls out next year.

Tony Sitathan, Singapore – The giant Indonesian archipelago enjoys enormous potential fishery resources, as yet under-exploited by the legal fishing industry. However, illegal fishing is threatening this potential.

Two Indonesian soldiers and a boy aged six have been injured in Indonesia's Aceh province, hours after the government set terms for renewed peace talks with separatist rebels.

A grenade fired from a launcher exploded near two soldiers who were relaxing in the center of Bireuen town late Monday, an Aceh military spokesman, Dasli Averos, said Tuesday.

Which do we love more, peace or sovereignty? This question came up when Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono addressed the problem of Aceh last week. The chief security minister reportedly said: "Indonesians love peace, but Indonesians value their sovereignty and territorial integrity even more."

Jakarta – Indonesia said yesterday it was still willing to talk to Aceh separatists to try to save a fragile peace agreement, but demanded the rebels stop pushing for independence and start disarming.

The government gave the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) between one and two weeks to respond and held back from launching a full-scale military operation.

Nigel Wilson – Negotiations are going ahead on the terms that will secure long-term gas supplies for Bayu Undan's $1.8 billion liquefied natural gas plant planned for Darwin.

East Timor's Serious Crimes Unit is losing its high profile chief – Siri Frigaard. She completes her mission this week, raising concerns about the unit's long term future. The United Nations is already cutting the number of international prosecutors from 13 to nine and says it can't guarantee any support for the project beyond June 2004.

Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office has appointed 14 prosecutors to handle the case of the 1984 Tanjung Priok shooting incident in which at least 33 people died.

At least 14 active and retired military officers, including the incumbent commander of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus), Maj. Gen. Sriyanto, have been named suspects in the case.

Guido Guilart, Dili – The Indonesian military systematically forced dozens of East Timorese women to become sex slaves for officers during its 24-year occupation of the half-island, a former governor said Tuesday.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The debates on whether the government should continue the existing International Monetary Fund program in the country were brought back to life again on Monday when prominent economists aired the need for an extension of the program to help instill investor confidence and avoid damage to the economy.

Kathy Marks, Sydney – Eleven people were injured, one seriously, when a bomb exploded yesterday in a crowded terminal at the main airport in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital.

First to Indonesia, where security has been stepped up across the country following yesterday's bomb attack at Jakarta's international airport. Eleven people were injured after a pipe bomb exploded near an airport restaurant. It was the second bomb attack in three days. Jakarta is pointing the finger of blame at local separatists or the Jemaah Islamiah terror group.

Jakarta – Indonesia's safety standards remain the worst in Southeast Asia, as it has the greatest number of workplace accidents, a report says.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – More than 500 East Timorese people still taking refuge in West Timor held a protest recently in front of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial legislative council, demanding the Indonesian government compensate them for the assets they left behind in East Timor.

For the first time, the East Timorese Government has begun taking control from the United Nations over its border with Indonesia.

East Timorese and UN authorities have today opened a new facility at Batugade to streamline immigration, police and border patrol operations along the border with West Timor.

New York – The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet Monday to discuss a one-year extension of the UN mission in East Timor, a recommendation by Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Jakarta – The Free Aceh Movement (GAM) threatened on Sunday to "teach colonial forces a lesson" if Jakarta resumed its military operation in Aceh, while the government meets to decide the next step in handling the restive province.

Shefali Rekhi – Indonesia's plan to buy a floating nuclear power plant from Russia is raising concerns about pollution, terrorism and accidents.

When and if a deal is signed, the floating power plant could be in place sometime between 2015 and 2017, Research and Technology Minister Hatta Radjasa has told reporters.

Jakarta/Banda Aceh – Vice President Hamzah Haz called on the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Saturday to resume peace talks to save the peace agreement signed in December 2002.

Jakarta – Two international human rights groups have strongly criticised a United Nations commission, saying it failed to demand justice for victims of atrocities in East Timor.

Amnesty International and the East Timor Action Network took issue with a recent statement from the UN Commission on Human Rights about Indonesia's trials of suspects in the 1999 bloodshed.

Jakarta – The situation in Maluku is calm following the separatist South Maluku Republic (RMS)'s 53rd anniversary on Friday, which saw the arrest of more than 300 supporters of the outlawed group.

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, Jakarta – The police are losing their authority and many people do not respect them – as was evident in the escape of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) chairman Habib Rizieq Shihab, as well as in the attack on Tempo magazine's office and its journalists, a lawyer said.

Jakarta – Eros Djarot announced on Friday a new name for his Bung Karno Nationalist Party (PNBK) during the party's two-day leadership meeting here.

The party has been renamed the Banteng Kemerdekaan Nationalist Party, allowing the party to maintain its original acronym.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The opportunity for Indonesians to vote for candidates of their choice in the 2004 presidential election is under threat, as the two largest factions in the House of Representatives have sought to limit the number of parties participating in the election.

Jakarta – Indonesian troops and police have arrested about 60 people to quell attempts to mark a separatist anniversary on Friday in the eastern Maluku islands.

The detainees had either sewn or flown flags of the outlawed Republic of South Maluku which were to be hoisted on Friday, said Ambon island district military commander, Lieutenant Colonel Yudi Zanibar.

Bogor – Thirteen village chiefs in Jasinga district of Bogor regency have admitted to selling 88.42 tons of rice designated for poor families.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – The Indonesian government said it had lost all faith in the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) after the rebel group "disrespectfully" postponed an emergency meeting that was to salvage a peace pact between them.

Banda Aceh – The United States and other powers expressed "deep disappointment" on Friday at the scrapping of a crucial meeting aimed at saving the Aceh peace pact and put the blame on separatist rebels. The US, Japan and the World Bank said a successful Joint Council meeting would be necessary to save the December 9 peace agreement in the Indonesianprovince.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – Press Council vice chairman R.H. Siregar says loopholes in press law No. 40/1999 hamper freedom of the press in Indonesia by treating journalists as criminals.

The East Timor Action Network (ETAN) strongly criticized the UN Commission on Human Rights for turning its back on the East Timorese people and jeopardizing current and future UN missions.

Dili – A moral and spiritual "darkness" still haunts East Timor's Catholics, the bishop of Dili said at the Easter Vigil service.

The Catholic Institute for International Relations (CIIR) and TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign, have condemned the UN Commission on Human Rights for failing to ensure that the perpetrators of gross violations of human rights in East Timor are brought to justice and for agreeing to drop the issue from its agenda next year.

Police warned Indonesians to be on guard against future terror attacks despite a major roundup of Jemaah Islamiyah suspects and the seizure of arms and explosives.

"Threats of new attacks always exist. We have to remain vigilant," said national police spokesman Zainuri Lubis Thursday.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – With less than a year left before Indonesia conducts unprecedented direct elections, the slow, messy preparations are already sparking concerns of possible irregularities when the polls are held.

War-weary Acehnese urged the Indonesian government and separatist rebels to get serious about saving their fragile peace pact, after a crucial meeting was called off at the last minute.