Jakarta – The city's hospitals are struggling to admit new patients and are having a hard time treating existing ones because a collapsed dike has caused a shortage in clean water supplies.

Mark Dodd, Gleno – Ironically, it is neglect which has produced independent East Timor's first major export crop: world-class organic, forest-grown coffee.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Indonesia's six-week-old crackdown on Aceh's separatist rebels is as bad as any experienced during the worst years of the military operation conducted under the rule of former President Suharto, residents say. But the bloodshed has done little to dent the separatist movement or to capture the "hearts and minds" of the Acehnese people.

John McBeth, Jakarta – The Indonesian military is in a sorry state at a bad time. Many of its aircraft can't take to the skies, most of its ships are stuck in port and spare parts and technical assistance are hard to find. Poor logistics and maintenance only add to the catalogue of problems.

Banda Aceh – Four people, including two rebels and a soldier, were killed in the latest violence in Indonesia's Aceh province as clashes continued between separatist rebels and government troops, a report said here Wednesday.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – Indonesia's military chief Admiral Widodo Adisucipto, seeking to defuse tensions that could trigger sporadic violence across the archipelago, called on the country's squabbling political elite to strike a compromise.

Jakarta – Deputy Speaker of House of Representative (DPR) for Political and Security Affairs, Sutardjo Surjoguritno, and House Commission II received representatives of organizations that demand the DPR disband Golkar Party today.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – The United States has entered the political debate in Indonesia, saying that the military must obey the civilian government, just days after army chiefs resisted moves by President Abdurrahman Wahid to impose martial law, dissolve parliament and call fresh elections.

Hestiana Dharmastuti/HD, Jakarta – On Wednesday, around 200 workers came to the Vice President Palace. They are demanding the disbandment of the Labour and Transmigration Ministry. Besides that, they are demanding to withdraw the Minister of Labour and Transmigration decree, (Kepmennakertrans) Number 78/Men/2001.

Jon Land – The World Bank has been prominent in East Timor's transition to full independence – so prominent in fact that the country now faces a looming struggle about whether the institution's neo-liberal economic model, so renowned for the hardship it has caused other poor countries, will be imposed on East Timor too.

Jakarta – Illegal loggers are suspected of moving border posts between Indonesia and Malaysia in the rainforests of Borneo island, causing Indonesia to lose some territory, the government said yesterday.

Mark Dodd, Dili – Only 5 per cent of East Timorese understand the purpose of the United Nations-organised election to be held on August 30, a voter education survey released yesterday found. Most thought they would be choosing a president rather than an assembly.

Jakarta – Indonesian authorities are preparing for the registration of some 100,000 East Timorese refugees in camps in West Timor, a report said Tuesday.

The government has set up 507 registration stations across East Nusa Tenggara province which includes West Timor, to find out how many of the refugees want to return home, and how many want to remain in Indonesia.

Indra Shalihin/HD Detik, Jakarta – Around 300 workers from the National Front for Indonesian Labour Struggle (FNPBI) staged a demonstration at the Indonesia Hotel roundabout. They urged the government to revoke the minister of labour decree No 78/2001 which is considered to harm the workers.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid is seeking to patch up ties with his old Muslim allies, who have turned political foes, a palace source said yesterday. The move is a desperate attempt to save his presidency if he fails to secure a compromise with his estranged deputy Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Jakarta has witnessed some very strange events in the last 48 hours – the army's strategic reserve chief Lieutenant-General Ryamizard Ryacudu sitting astride a tank told his troops that he would defend democracy to the hilt, amid threats that the first democratically elected president was about to declare martial law.

Robert Go, Jakarta – A change of leadership in Jakarta is crucial to Indonesia's economic recovery, say business leaders and analysts.

After 19 months in which the economy has spiralled downwards – from recovering to moving towards another potential crisis – many businessmen and ordinary Indonesians yearn for a more consistent government.

Jakarta – Former Indonesian president Suharto was a better leader than Mr Abdurrahman Wahid, according to a readers' poll conducted by the Media Indonesia daily.

Rizal Maslan/HD, Jakarta – The meeting of the Army Forced generals at the Indonesian Military's headquarters last Saturday has indicated the evidence that the military have steadily inched their way back into position and are readying themselves for an attempt to take back their power.

Djoko Tjiptono/FW, Jakarta – The third year of the step-down of iron-fist ruler Suharto was commemorated by students across the country. In Jakarta, around 500 students of Student Action Front for Reform and Democracy (Famred) assembled at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, Jakarta, Monday.

Richard Galpin, Dili – East Timor is celebrating becoming the world's newest country. It has been under United Nations administration since 1999 when it overwhelmingly voted to break away from 24 years of Indonesian rule. Pro-Indonesian militias went on a bloody rampage following the vote, leaving parts of East Timor in ruins.

Bagus Kurniawan/HD, Yogyakarta – Around one hundred students from various universities in Yogyakarta, Central Java staged a demonstration in front of the Yogyakarta Provincial Legislative. They demanded the disbandment of the National Resillience Institute (Lemhanas) and Distric Military Command (Kodim) because they are part of the Indonesia Military's (TNI) political institution.

Partido Trabalhista Timor (PTT), on Friday, submitted its registration application with the Independent Electoral Commission. The party also nominated Xanana Gusmao and Jose Ramos-Horta as its candidates for the Constituent Assembly.

Jakarta – Members of the Anti-Communist Coalition (AAK) made visits to a number of major bookstores here on Saturday, but the alliance did not act on its earlier threat to raid them for leftist titles on Sunday.

Jakarta – A senior Indonesian military commander yesterday urged troops to remain loyal to the nation and not to any individual after generals warned President Abdurrahman Wahid not to dissolve parliament or declare a state of emergency.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Indonesia's President Wahid is refusing to drop plans to sack senior generals, declare martial law and disband parliament in moves that have intensified the country's power struggle.

Muchus Budi Rahayu/HD, Jakarta – In solo, Central Java, an action to commemorate three years of the Suharto's stepping down on May 21, 1998 were cheered with the demands of the disbandment of the Golkar and the parliament. All elements of students and youths came to the Solo Golkar office on Jl Hasanuddin, Monday reported Detik.

Jakarta – Security forces in Irian Jaya arrested 16 members of a Papuan separatist movement after an armed clash which injured five people, local police said yesterday.

Jakarta – Thousands of protesters in Indonesia's Sulawesi province forced a two-hour cut in electricity and telephone services to oppose a visit by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Taufik Kiemas, the wealthy businessman husband of Megawati Sukarnoputri, sent a recent message to Abdurrahman Wahid at the presidential palace in Jakarta: "What would it take for you to resign?" Despite Mr Wahid's political isolation amid a bitter power struggle with MPs, he ignored the message, which some near him interpreted as the offer of a bribe.

Jakarta – Social and religious leaders in a district of the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan have agreed to the conditional return of Madurese refugees who fled weeks of bloodshed in February. "We mostly agreed that the Madurese can return, but we also set conditions," said Mr Gusti Abdul Hamid, spokesman for the "people's deliberation" meeting.

Jakarta - City Police detectives questioned a coordinator of the Solidarity for Peace in East Timor (Solidamor), a non-governmental organization, on Friday, in connection with last week's Guntur bombing, which claimed at least three lives.

Jakarta – The Indonesian navy has launched a special operation to cut off the distribution of guns and munitions from Thailand to the separatist movement in Aceh. Five warships were dispatched for the operation, and the navy will also check all ships travelling in waters around Aceh.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Recession-hit, lower-income Indonesians are turning to instant noodles instead of rice as a key source of nourishment, sending sales soaring.

Jakarta – Police in Jakarta have shot dead 36 thugs and nabbed 682 others across the city in a month-long anti-hoodlum campaign, an official has said. The city administration has also arrested 20,946 public order offenders in the capital during the same period.

Jakarta – Indonesia's Supreme Court will examine demands that the Golkar party of former president Suharto be disbanded because of corruption and vote-rigging, the new Chief Justice announced yesterday.

Mark Dodd, Dili – In a breakthrough for relations between East Timor and its former ruler, Jakarta has finally agreed to settle the issue of pension payments to East Timorese who worked for the Indonesian government during its 24-year occupation.

Jakarta – An Indonesian military leader yesterday in Kupang, West Nusa Tenggara (NTT), expressed doubt that 95% of the East Timorese refugees in East Nusa Tenggara would opt to stay.

Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) on Thursday submitted to the Attorney General's Office the names of 25 Irian Jaya police officers who were allegedly responsible for physically abusing and torturing civilians following a mob attack on a police station last year

Vaudine England – Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri may be readying herself to assume the presidency, but she faces daunting obstacles before she can be sure of taking power.

Vaudine England – Days before a threatened sweep by radical Islamic groups against book stores alleged to be selling communist books, support for freedom of expression is gaining momentum in Indonesia.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Frustrated with the lack of recovery and stability at home, many Indonesian businessmen are scouting for opportunities and investing abroad just when the country needs all the capital it can get. They described other countries such as Thailand, Vietnam or Malaysia as better for investments.

The withdrawal of Indonesian rupiahs from Timor Lorosae was a good step because it would prevent confusion in currency usage in the country. But UNTAET and the government of Indonesia must immediately convert rupiahs circulating in the country to US dollars.

Jakarta – Nearly 1,000 protesters yesterday staged a demonstration at the house of Ginandjar Kartasasmita a former minister declared a suspect in a corruption case who was released from the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) after the court ruled that the detention was illegal.

Virginia Marsh and Tom Mccawley – Australia and East Timor are edging towards agreement on a critical new treaty to govern the Timor Gap, paving the way for development of the substantial gas deposits in the resource-rich waters that divide the two neighbours.

Jakarta – Under the threat of massive labor rallies, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Al-Hilal Hamdi decided on Wednesday to delay for 14-days the implementation of a ministerial decree annulling severance pay and service fees to retired or dismissed workers.

Banda Aceh – Clashes on Tuesday between Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels and security forces in the restive province of Aceh have left two civilians dead and 30 houses and shops damaged by fire, police and residents said on Wednesday.

Jakarta – Indonesia needs around US$28.45 billion in new investment over the next 10 years to stave off a power crisis which has begun to hit some parts of the country.

Based on the national electricity general plan, the country's power sector is already at a critical stage, said mines and energy director-general for electricity, Mr Luluk Sumiarso.

Jakarta – Top Indonesian Military (TNI) brass have again warned that they would reject any top level reshuffle in the military command if it was geared toward particular political purposes, such as forming political alliances.

Mark Davis – In September 1999, the Australian Army stepped into the carnage of East Timor as the lead contributor in the international force INTERFET. Supposedly, they were there to contain the militias and the fearsome militias proved remarkably easy to contain, Displaying none of their previous bravery, bravado or organisational skills.