A UN official of East Timor4s transitional administration Wednesday criticized Indonesia for its repeated delays in bring to trial military officers and officials indicted for human rights atrocities committed in the territory in 1999.

Max Lane, Jakarta – The most right-wing elements among politically organised Islam have sought to use the US "war on terrorism" to seize the political initiative in the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Shoeb Kagda, Jakarta – As emerging market assets lose their shine in the current global environment, Indonesia faces an uphill task in implementing its privatisation programme, but not going ahead with it would prove more detrimental for the country in the long term, said the International Monetary Fund's senior resident representative yesterday.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Potholed roads, crumbling hospitals, torn school books – that is the bleak picture in store for Indonesia if the government fails to sell immediately some of its assets to investors, warned the top official of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Jakarta.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives finally approved on Tuesday a long-awaited new oil and gas law, which will end the decades-old lucrative monopoly of state oil and gas firm Pertamina.

Jo Ellis, Cairuhi – Australian solidarity activists have spent nearly two weeks here helping East Timorese counterparts begin an ambitious educational program which will involve local people in discussions about socialism and democracy.

Virginia Marsh – If all had gone to plan, divers would now be laying a pipeline along the seabed linking Darwin to the substantial gasfields off its shores and a decades-old dream would be close to becoming reality.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives rushed to pass the special autonomy bill on Papua (Irian Jaya) into law at midnight Monday after a last-ditch effort to solve the contentious issue of revenue sharing.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Vice President Hamzah Haz repeated calls on Monday to stop the anti-US rallies in the country and underlined that Indonesia may face an economic collapse should the country fail to guarantee foreign investors' security.

Jakarta – Indonesia's parliament, under pressure from powerful labour unions, said on Tuesday it had postponed a plan to pass a draft labour law this week due to fears of fresh unrest in the impoverished country.

Apriadi Gunawan and Fadly, Medan/Batam – Five underage women identified as IM, A, FY, E and W had no idea that they would be traded as prostitutes in a red light district in Dumai, Riau, when Romantan Sinaga alias Nico or Onces, and Andi Haryanto offered them a good job with a high salary during a coincidental meeting at the Aksara Medan Plaza in August.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – Parliament is set to pass seven laws this week in a plenary session starting today – although public disapproval is loud on bills including Irian Jaya autonomy and the role of the police.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Canberra's strained relationship with Jakarta was highlighted at the Apec summit over the weekend when Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri refused to meet Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais expressed his support on Monday for several legislators' suggestions to set up a special committee at the House of Representatives to probe the alleged misuse of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog)'s non-budgetary fund.

Dadan Wijaksana, Jakarta – The House of Representatives budget committee approved on Monday a government proposal to increase fuel prices by an average 30 percent starting January next year, but delayed once again the completion of a crucial debate on the 2002 draft state budget.

Badri Jawara, Palu – Central Sulawesi Provincial Police confirmed on Monday that six people of the 42 detained for questioning were interrogated over Saturday's sectarian clash in Tabalu village, some 20 kilometers north of Poso, in which one police officer was killed.

Seth Mydans, Jakarta – Less than three months ago Abdurrahman Wahid was swept from Indonesia's presidency on a wave of public exasperation after a truncated tenure that one prominent scholar calls one of the strangest periods in Indonesian history.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – Commission B of the West Java legislative Council, along with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), is processing a long-awaited bylaw on forest management and the distribution of forest products.

The local administration's plan, however, has been opposed by locals, who have not been included in forest management for decades.

RK Nugroho, Jayapura – The proindependence Papuan Council Presidium (PDP) asserted on Saturday in Jayapura that it would reject the Special Autonomy Law on Irian Jaya which will come into effect on Tuesday.

Banda Aceh – At least eight people, including two Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels, were killed in a series of incidents over Friday and Saturday, officials and activists said.

Poso (Sulawesi) – Clashes between Christian and Muslim gangs, armed with knives and homemade guns, left at least eight people dead, police and witnesses said yesterday.

Evelyn Leopold, United Nations – East Timor's newly elected constituent assembly asked the United Nations on Monday to grant it independence next May 20, paving the way for a reduction of UN military and civilian forces.

Jakarta – Traffic police, customs and tax officials, and the judiciary were ranked the most corrupt institutions in Indonesia's public sector, according to a recent survey.

Jakarta – Over 1.3 million visitors have cancelled trips to Indonesia because of heightened anti-American sentiment since the United States launched air strikes against Afghanistan – resulting in the loss of US$1.1 billion in potential tourist income, said a government minister.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – The trial of a separatist leader in Ambon, the capital of Indonesia's Maluku islands, that began yesterday had a hidden political agenda, analysts said.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – The police, the judiciary, Customs and the Tax Department are the most corrupt institutions in Indonesia, a survey has found.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – Parliament adopted a new code of ethics this week, but experts said it would have little impact on attendance and the practice of buying and selling votes.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Activists warned authorities in North Sumatra about the possibility of environmental damage following a plan to extract sand from the province's eastern coastal areas to Malaysia and Singapore, saying it could hasten coastal erosion and consequent flooding on the mainland.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – President Megawati Sukarnoputri's honeymoon with her deputy is over as both leaders tussle over Indonesia's response to the US military campaign against Afghanistan.

Banda Aceh – Seven people, including two members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist group, were killed in separate violence on Thursday and Friday, activists and an official said.

Dili – Indonesia-East Timor trade relations have good prospects in future so that there is glimmer of hope that certain parts of their common borderline will eventually be opened for across-the-border trade activities, an Indonesian representative official said.

Dili – Indonesia's currency, the rupiah, especially of the Rp 5000 to Rp 50000 denomination, is still legally accepted as a means of exchange in Timor Lorosae, along with the US dollar.

R.K. Nugroho, Jayapura – Trikora Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Mahidin Simbolon confirmed on Wednesday in Jayapura that the military had conducted raids of rebels' camps in Kali Kopi village, Mimika regency, Irian Jaya.

Achmad Sukarsono, Jakarta – More than 10,000 Muslims, some singing "our blood is boiling", marched through the Indonesian capital of Jakarta on Friday in the country's biggest protest to date against the US-led strikes on Afghanistan.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Inspired by Aceh, the only province where the Islamic Law or Syariah is officially in place, Muslim groups in several other provinces in Indonesia are also pushing for the implementation of the law. To assuage the groups, the government has been forced to revise the criminal law and give it a more Islamic touch.

Jakarta – Indonesia stands to lose three million jobs if it decides to sever diplomatic ties with the United States, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea said. "Where will we channel those three million labourers who get laid off if Indonesia cuts its ties with the US?" he asked on Wednesday.

Jakarta – The green turtle (Chelonian) found on the southern coast of Sukabumi regency in West Java province is acing extinction due to the poaching of its eggs, chairman of he Green Foundation, Cevy Th Mulyana, said on Thursday.

Jakarta – Public pressure has been increasing for the House of Representatives to set up a special committee in charge of investigating the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) scam involving some 40 billion rupiah (US$4 million) allegedly perpetrated by Golkar Party chairman and current House Speaker Akbar Tandjung.

Banda Aceh – Gunmen killed a local government official on Thursday in the latest violence to rock the rebellious Indonesian province of Aceh, police said.

The secretary of the North Aceh district administration, Muchlis Ali, was shot dead by two unidentified attackers in the city of Lhokseumawe, said local police spokesman Adjunct Commissioner Adi Marwan.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – The government reaffirmed on Wednesday its support for combating global terrorism, but warned that the continued US strikes on Afghanistan were endangering world peace.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that the prolonged assault would also give rise to Islamic radicalism worldwide.

Marianne Kearney, Batu Keras (West Java) – This town is situated in one of Indonesia's most devout Muslim provinces.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Declaring a jihad or holy war against America and its citizens in Indonesia has become a surefire way for radical Muslim groups to gain their 15 minutes of fame and maintain their position in Indonesia's unsettled political landscape.

Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – For the first time, nine private companies in North Sumatra have withdrawn from the social security programs due to their dissatisfaction with the compulsory insurance scheme for workers.

Yemris Fointuna, Atambua – At least 800 East Timorese refugees, formerly grouped under the Mahidi militia group from Ainaro regency, returned to their homeland on Wednesday and received a special welcome from East Timorese leaders.

Over 500 refugees crossed the border this morning in the second day of mass refugee returns from camps in Indonesian West Timor.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Golkar chief and Parliament Speaker Akbar Tandjung has come under fire on allegations of corruption, which observers said may be a move from within his own party to unseat him from the coveted leadership post.

Jakarta – Long criticised for its lack of action, the Indonesian government has moved to lower vehicle-emission levels in major cities.

Jakarta – At least half of the factories in Indonesia face bankruptcy if the country cuts diplomatic ties with the United States, sending millions more workers out of work and disrupting economic recovery program, analysts and business leaders warned.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Despite separation between the National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) since 1999, a reform bill currently being deliberated at the House of Representatives by a special committee, has failed to promote a spirit of reform, observers said on Wednesday.

Jeremy Page, Shanghai – A senior Indonesian minister denied on Thursday that President Megawati Sukarnoputri had condemned US-led strikes on Afghanistan and said Jakarta had not wavered in its support for a war on terrorism.