Retired US General Anthony Zinni held talks with the military chief of Indonesia's Aceh province as part of efforts to pave the way for more talks between Jakarta and separatist rebels.

Palu/Makassar – At least seven people were shot and wounded, four others missing and two churches and 27 houses burned to the ground in the worst violence to hit Poso in Central Sulawesi since a peace deal was signed eight months ago, signatories and activists said on Tuesday.

Medan – Hundreds of Acehnese refugees clashed with police and public order officers in the North Sumatra governor's office in Medan on Tuesday, a report said.

At least four people were seriously injured, dozens of others slightly wounded while several women fainted during the clash at 10.15am. The building was also damaged.

Fitri Wulandari and Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – The Indonesia Military/National Police faction in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) admitted on Tuesday that the military and police were still involved in politics but defended the move being based on good grounds.

Kurniawan Hari and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – As the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) entered its sixth day, thousands of student protesters staged a rally outside the Assembly building here on Tuesday demanding that the lawmakers proceed with and endorse crucial amendments to the 1945 Constitution.

[The United States has signalled that the freeze on US military aid to Indonesia, is about to be lifted. The ban was imposed three years ago because of human rights abuses by the Indonesian military in East Timor.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Washington's Middle East envoy Anthony Zinni, now on a tour of Aceh, is pushing for peace talks to resolve the conflict between the Jakarta government and the rebels. But his efforts are likely to be hampered by Jakarta's plan for a new military operation to be announced soon, say observers.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – An advisor at the office of the Vice President said on Tuesday that he had asked for Rp 400 million to produce favorable media reports for then president BJ Habibie.

John Roberts – A five-judge panel of the Jakarta District Court pronounced its long-awaited verdict on Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the youngest son of the former Indonesian dictator General Suharto, on July 26. The court found him guilty of murdering a judge, illegal possession of weapons and evading imprisonment and sentenced him to 15 years in jail.

Jakarta – The US ambassador to Indonesia warned Jakarta on Wednesday America and the world were closely watching East Timor human rights trials and the result would help determine if full US-Indonesia military ties are restored.

East Timorese government and UN officials held a fourth, unannounced round of reconciliation and repatriation talks with former anti-independence militia chief Joao Tavares Tuesday in the border town of Batugade, Dili's UN mission said Wednesday.

President Xanana Gusmao Wednesday defended his controversial request for an Indonesian court trying human rights crimes committed in East Timor to show clemency in one case, saying he was simply seeking uniformity of justice and had not interfered in Indonesia's internal affairs.

Jakarta – A leading former East Timorese independence supporter wept Wednesday as he recalled the death of his son in a 1999 militia attack on his refugee-packed home in Dili.

Judges at Indonesia's human rights court briefly halted proceedings as Manuel Carrascalao sobbed uncontrollably.

Tom Wright, Jakarta – The US has moved to block a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) for alleged human-rights abuses at its Indonesian natural-gas operations, claiming the court action could hurt relations with Jakarta and undermine the war on terrorism.

Police have detained two Sri Lankan men in Dili on "strong" suspicion they were working as an advance team for an illegal immigration network apparently linked to the arrival in East Timor of a freighter loaded with Sri Lankans allegedly headed to New Zealand.

Jakarta – The illegal logging that has swept through most of the Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS) in Lubuk Linggau, South Sumatra, is spreading throughout the park.

Around 800 hectares of the national park's 340,750 hectares in Rejang Lebong had been left barren due to intensive illegal logging in the last few months, the Antara news agency reported on Monday.

Dili – Students clashed with police Tuesday in East Timor over plans to increase fees at the new country's main university.

About 300 students gathered outside the government building in the capital following news that annual fees at East Timor National University would jump from 15 to 100 dollars.

Retired US General Anthony Zinni set out for Aceh's sensitive Pidie district, where Indonesian troops said they shot dead two alleged separatist rebels a day earlier.

Zinni, who has mediated in talks between Indonesia's government and separatist rebels in Aceh, arrived in the province Monday as Jakarta said it was preparing for more discussions with the insurgents.

Jakarta – The former mayor of the East Timor capital Dili denied Tuesday that pro-Jakarta militia groups during Indonesian rule received any aid from the government or the military.

Robert Go, Jakarta – The Indonesian government yesterday formed a ministerial-level task force to deal with the hundreds of thousands of illegal workers who fled Malaysia's new tough immigration laws in recent days fearing harsh punishment, including jail and caning.

The deadlock over labor issues between Taiwan and Indonesia showed no signs of improvement with the Indonesian government reportedly barring its workers from leaving for Taiwan yesterday.

Indonesian police used water cannon against protesters who broke into the grounds of parliament demanding that legislators approve key constitutional reforms.

Police sprayed the students after several protesters began rocking and climbing the heavy steel gates at the main entrance.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Former East Timor independence leader Manuel Viegas Carrascalao told the Human Rights Tribunal on Monday that the Indonesian Military did nothing to prevent the bloody violence against proindependence East Timorese in the run-up to the 1999 referendum.

Elaine Monaghan, Washington – The United States has told a US court that a human rights-related lawsuit filed by Indonesian villagers against Exxon Mobil could hurt the war on terror, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Decisions by Nike and Reebok to cut orders from local manufacturers leave Indonesia's footwear industry under siege, and laid-off workers may harm the country's economy further by staging rowdy street protests and scaring off potential investors.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – A number of gubernatorial candidates said on Friday they would go on with their struggle to realize their programs after their names were removed from the list of candidates for lack of support from the City Council's factions.

Don Greenlees, Jakarta – Fifty-six Sri Lankan asylum-seekers who landed in East Timor en route to New Zealand in a 14 metre fishing boat will be prevented from continuing their journey and will have claims to refugee status processed in East Timor.

Multa Fidrus, Tangerang – Thousands of workers at PT Delton Indonesia, a sub-contracting factory of shoe giant Nike Inc. of the United States, will very likely lose their jobs as the US firm will stop its shoe orders from some areas of Indonesia in November.

Berni K. Moestafa and Nani Farida, Jakarta – The government plans to announce today a new policy to quell the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in what many fear might revive the bloody history of military operations there and extend the long list of human rights abuses perpetrated against the Acehnese.

Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – Several party factions at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) criticized on Saturday President Megawati Soekarnoputri's use of the military in Aceh, urging the president to prioritize dialog to settle the prolonged armed conflict.

Oyos Saroso H.N., Gunungsugih, Central Lampung – Farmers in Lampung are clamoring for a higher base price for unhusked rice to compensate for the soaring price of fertilizer.

Muhammad Nafik, Jakarta – Prominent Muslim scholars are urging the United States to shift its counter-terrorism aid from Indonesia's notorious military to moderate Muslim groups promoting human rights and democracy.

They also dismissed suggestions by foreign media that pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) and Islamic universities here were producing radical Muslims.

Phil Zabriskie, Jakarta – For a man facing the death penalty, Eurico Guterres doesn't look anxious.

Sitting in a steamy Jakarta courthouse, a ceiling fan whirring overhead, he appears to have given more consideration to choosing his outfit-combat fatigues smartly pressed, a red and white scarf tied fastidiously around his neck-than to saving his own skin.

Jakarta – More than 5,000 Muslims called for the nationwide imposition of Islamic sharia law and voiced opposition to secular President Megawati Sukarnoputri at a demonstration on Monday at Indonesia's parliament.

Thousands of Muslims turned out to march toward a meeting of Indonesian parliamentarians to demand they incorporate Islamic law into the constitution.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Illegal migrant workers recently kicked out of Malaysia now have to deal with thugs who target and squeeze hefty fees from them as they try to make their way home.

Leo Wahyudi S – Despite the ongoing Annual Session, people remain skeptical that the 700 members of the People's Consultative Assembly will actually be able to come up with solutions to cope with the country's political and economic crisis. They shared their views with The Jakarta Post.

Sidney Jones – A war between independence fighters and the Indonesian military has claimed thousands of lives in Aceh in two major waves of violence.

Dozens of students from several universities in Greater Jakarta sent a bag of cow's feces to members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) staying at Hotel Mulia Senayan in Central Jakarta to protest the legislators' poor performance during the Annual Session.

Todd S. Purdum, Manila – Secretary of State Colin L. Powell announced on Friday that the Bush administration would resume direct military training aid to Indonesia for the first time in a decade, in a move aimed at bolstering the efforts against terrorism in the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Atambua – Communities on both sides, namely the people of Turiskain, Haekesak sub-district, Belu district, West Nusa Tenggara and the people of East Timor, have been asked to refrain from fighting, following a clash between the two neighbouring communities on Monday, around Turiskain Market, so that it does not happen again.

John Aglionby – East Timor's president, Xanana Gusmao, has unexpectedly pleaded for a non-custodial sentence in the trial of the former Indonesian-appointed governor, Abilio Soares, who is accused of crimes against humanity in connection with violence during the territory's independence referendum.

Summary of counter-terrorism proposals for Jakarta

Jakarta – A judge yesterday delayed the trial of Indonesia's best-known Islamic militant on charges of inciting violence against Christians, saying the defendant "looked pale".

Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri Thursday promised tougher action against rebels in Aceh as part of efforts to end various conflicts in the country, even as she claimed the threat of disintegration around the country was subsiding.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – The jailed son of former president Suharto, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, said yesterday that he would not appeal against his 15-year jail sentence for masterminding a murder, because he would not get justice.

The United States is ready for greater military cooperation with Indonesia and is confident Jakarta can handle any terrorist threats, visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell said.

About 100 university students have dumped cow manure outside a Jakarta hotel where delegates to Indonesia's top constitutional assembly are staying.

Some 100 police personnel erected barbed wire barricades outside the hotel housing delegates to the current annual meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly, but no clashes were reported.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Labor activists rallied on Wednesday in front of the Malaysian Embassy on Jl. Rasuna Said in South Jakarta in protest of a strict immigration law that will take effect in that country on August 1, and which will impact hundreds of thousands of Indonesians working illegally in the country.

Following in the footsteps of its main rival Reebok, athletics-shoe manufacturer Nike has announced that it will also be reducing production in Indonesia – a move that could spark protests from workers.