Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia offered East Timor Monday assistance ranging from education to military training during a visit by the fledgling nation's Prime Minister, Mari Bim Amude Alkatiri, an official said.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – The threat of violence is imminent in East Nusa Tenggara province as residents in North Central Timor Regency have objected to the presence of more East Timorese Indonesian refugees in their area as part of the government's sponsored resettlement program.

Camillo Fracassini – The suspected killers of a Scottish journalist murdered in East Timor 27 years ago have escaped a war crimes trial in the UK, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.

Jakarta – Civilians slaughtered as they hid in churches. Independence leaders assassinated in their homes. Entire villages burned to the ground.

Indonesia's highest consultative assembly wrapped up its 10-day annual meeting, approving its fourth series of constitutional amendments since 1999, including on direct presidential elections and ruling against imposing sharia law for Muslims.

Jane Perlez, Jakarta – Indonesia's highest legislative body, after rebuffing calls to impose Islamic law here in the world's largest Muslim country, closed its annual session today with constitutional changes aimed at enhancing the democratic nature of the state.

Paul Toohey – East Timor's 40-odd lawyers are on strike. The judges and registry staff have all gone home. In the words of one Australian lawyer working in Dili, the courthouse is abandoned "but for two sleepy policemen".

Jakarta – The police said on Friday they would summon Governor Sutiyoso as a witness in the alleged misuse of funds for flood victims by non-governmental organization (NGO) ICE (International Civic Education) on Indonesia.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Indonesians could get to elect their next president directly in 2004 after the country's highest legislative body yesterday approved a change to the Constitution.

Jane Perlez, Jakarta – A militant preacher, who returned to Indonesia after years in exile, became the fulcrum for an even more radical network that wanted to establish a pan-Islamic state of several countries across Southeast Asia, according to a new report.

Jakarta – In a new role, General Anthony Zinni, the Bush administration's envoy to the Middle East, has met Indonesian officials in an effort to find a solution to the long-running but little publicised guerrilla conflict in Aceh, the nation's resource-rich northern province.

Jakarta – In an effort to push the reform agenda, at least 2,000 students staged a protest by joining hands to create a human chain, linking the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) complex to Hotel Mulia Senayan, where legislators are staying during the ten-day Annual Session.

Students have nominated four legislators to receive the "Traitor of Reform" award for their political stance.

The Association of Student Executive Boards from universities in Greater Jakarta is set to present the award in a ceremony on Saturday, when the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is formally closed.

Jakarta – One of Indonesia's leading Muslim organisations has warned the United States not to launch an attack on Iraq saying it had no moral grounds to do so, the Jakarta Post reported on Saturday.

The US is debating an attack on Iraq to topple the regime of President Saddam Hussein, seen as a threat over efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Leo Wahyudi S, Jakarta – Several men in shabby clothes are seen every day lying down or sitting in this small park off of Jl. Permata Hijau Barat in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta. They are sheltering from the sun under a big shade tree in the area where a luxury housing complex is located.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Indonesia's failure this week to win an extended amnesty period or leniency for its citizens who work illegally in Malaysia has prompted the country's vice-president to describe his own government as incompetent, and sparked an open feud between two senior Cabinet ministers.

Jakarta – US retired General Anthony Zinni on Thursday said he was optimistic peace could prevail in Indonesia's troubled Aceh province if Jakarta and separatists push for talks.

Ahmad Junaidi and Fitri Wulandari, Jakarta – The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Commission B asserted on Thursday that it was not seeking to terminate Indonesia's relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but for the government to improve its bargaining position in dealing with donor agencies.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Indonesia's highest legislative body is likely to call on the government to end ties with the International Monetary Fund, arguing that its prescriptions are not suitable for the country.

Oktovianus Pinontoan, Ambon – Two bomb explosions in North Maluku's Tobelo district and fresh clashes between two villages on Wednesday left one dead and several houses burned, military reports said.

A mob from Gorua village attacked the neighboring Wari village following the blasts, marking the first violent reaction to a string of bomb explosion this year.

Palu, Central Sulawesi – Drivers of public transportation vehicles in Palu, the capital city of Central Sulawesi, went on strike on Thursday to demand the local government stop inter-city buses from picking up and dropping off passengers within citylimits.

The strike started at 9am Eastern Indonesian time and left thousands of commuters stranded on Palu's main streets.

Jakarta – Some 200 students from Jakarta and its environs staged another rally outside the legislative assembly building here Thursday to press for the completion of the latest round of constitutional amendments by the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Jakarta – Hundreds of people rallied in front of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)/House of Representatives (DPR) complex on Thursday to reject amendments to the 1945 Constitution.

The protesters also rejected demands for the inclusion of sharia in Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution.

East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, seeking political detente, held a first meeting Friday to discuss "sensitive" policy issues before government action.

Jakarta – Pressure on Indonesia from the United States and Southeast Asia to crack down on Islamic militants could backfire and turn them into heroes, according to a report by Brussels-based think tank.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) report also says the world's most populous Muslim nation is not a terrorist hotbed.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – In attempt to wash their hands of a potentially damaging case, police announced on Thursday that they had closed the investigation into an alleged plot between security officers and convict Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra after the probe reached a dead end.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – A pro-Jakarta East Timorese leader told the Rights Tribunal on Thursday that the Indonesian Military (TNI) did nothing to stop armed militias from attacking the residence of proindependence leader Manuel Viegas Carrascalao on April 17, 1999.

Matthew Moore – The United States risks destabilising Indonesia and turning Muslim militants into heroes by pressuring the Indonesian Government to arrest them, a report published yesterday says.

Jakarta – Indonesian prosecutors lacked evidence to lay charges against powerful former armed forces commander General Wiranto over the violence in East Timor, the country's former attorney general said.

Indonesian parliamentarians have blamed security and legal concerns for the country's failure to win China's first major liquefied natural gas supply contract.

Tubagus Haryono, the deputy chairman of a parliamentary commission on energy affairs, says efforts had been to reassure Chinese authorities over the legal and security issues, but to no avail.

The dissenting voices rejecting the present parliament are not confined to student activists and renegade politicians.

A number of retired generals joined forces Thursday with around 100 men protesting in the name of the 1945 Independence Defenders Front (FPP) and the 1945 People's Movement Rejecting Amendment (Geram 45).

Jakarta – A retired US general, who has been mediating between Jakarta and the rebels in Aceh, said on Thursday that the only way to achieve peace in the restive province was through talks.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – Some 300 people presented on Wednesday 11 ducks for the 11 factions in the City Council to mock their apparent blind loyalty to incumbent Governor Sutiyoso, who is set to become the strongest gubernatorial candidate.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Seven people stood trial on Wednesday at the Central Jakarta District Court for allegedly attacking the office of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM). Ten people were injured in the attack.

Alan Beattie and Tom McCawley – The International Monetary Fund does not usually end up being sued by the people it has negotiated with. But Kwik Kian Gie, Indonesia's national development planning minister, recently advised a group of local lawyers to go ahead and file a class action lawsuit against the IMF for its policies in the country.

Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – Legislators at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) renewed their calls on Wednesday for the government to give priority to dialog in solving the Aceh problem.

Jakarta – An independent team of five prominent public figures is working to expedite a solution to the conflict in Aceh, advising the government not to impose a state of civil emergency on the restive province.

President Xanana Gusmao and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri urged East Timor's students Thursday to aid the new nation's reconstruction and development through "mature" and "constructive" debate and political participation.

Jakarta – With its long record of human rights abuses, the Indonesian Military (TNI) must be made accountable for its past before the United States restores military ties with Indonesia, US Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce said on Wednesday.

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta – An environmentalist alleged on Tuesday that high-ranking military officers and government officials were involved in the killing and trade of endangered Sumatran tigers, rhinos and elephants.

Debbie A. Lubis, Jakarta – As political parties prepare for the 2004 General Election, experts warned the government on Wednesday of the possible mobilization of unemployed people for vested political interests.

Muhammad Nafik, Jakarta – Residents of the Riau town of Dumai threatened on Wednesday to block the operations of an oil refinery belonging to state-owned Pertamina unless a local is appointed general manager.

Luciano Fernandez – Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri has triggered sharp protests inside and outside her own party-the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P)-through her endorsement of the incumbent Jakarta governor Sutiyoso for the same position in upcoming elections in September.

Atambua – The Belu district military command on Thursday succeeded in foiling an attempt to smuggle around 1.8 tons of kerosene to East Timor.

The smugglers were to take the kerosene across the border at Silawan, East Tasifeto sub-district, Belu district, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Jakarta – A former militia boss accused of inciting a massacre in East Timor in 1999 on Thursday denied allegations by a compatriot that he had ordered his men to attack pro-independence supporters.

With the US government firmly on its side, energy giant ExxonMobil claims allegations of human rights abuses filed against it in a lawsuit on behalf of 11 villagers in Aceh province are groundless.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) condemned US government attempts to scupper a human rights lawsuit brought by a group of Indonesian villagers against oil giant Exxon Mobil.

Fitri Wulandari, Jakarta – The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is likely to recommend the government to cut ties with international donor agencies, particularly the International Monetary Fund (IMF), by 2003.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Violence has erupted again in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province just as Mr Yusuf Kalla, the chief welfare minister and architect of two peace deals in the strife-torn eastern islands, said the worst was over in these regions.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Three Indonesian judges involved in the high-profile and controversial bankruptcy case of a Toronto-based insurer have been suspended on charges of corruption, an indication that Jakarta is acting to clean up one of the world's most corrupt legal systems.