Yogyakarta – The replacement of three Indonesian armed forces (TNI) chiefs of staff which took place yesterday (18/2) is believed by a political observer from the Gajah Mada University (UGM), Riswandha Imawan, to be an effort by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to strengthen his legitimacy within military ranks.

Ivy Susanti, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has welcomed the US government's gesture to restore full military training ties with Indonesia, which was downgraded 13 years ago.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – Indonesia imported about 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) of processed fuel last year to meet domestic demand for the oil-based commodity, according to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

On average, 10 people with dengue fever are admitted to city-owned hospitals every day, bringing the total of dengue cases since the beginning of this year to nearly 2,000. The central government has declared an extraordinary incidence of dengue in Jakarta and five other regions, and has urged that extra measures be taken to curb the outbreak.

Jakarta – Prior to its fuel price hike plan in April, which will eventually reduce budget expenditures for the fuel subsidy, the government has been preparing an additional Rp 10.5 trillion (US$1.13 billion) from the budget to assist the poor.

Environmental investigators said Thursday they had uncovered massive timber smuggling from Indonesia's Papua province to China in what they described as the world's largest logging racket involving one wood species.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Minister of Forestry Malam Sambat Kaban said on Friday he planned to meet with Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto to help resolve the rampant illegal logging in Papua, which a recent report says is backed by members of the military.

Tangerang – Cable thieves disrupted trains services between Tangerang and Jakarta for the second time in a month on Friday.

Ahmad Sujadi, spokesman of state railway operator PT KAI, said that 18 trains were affected by the theft.

"I don't care," has apparently become a catchphrase among government officials, following President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's example.

Responding to a survey showing his declining popularity, the President said earlier this month: "I don't care about my popularity." The President's words have given others in his circle an idea or two.

"This is a smuggler... ha... ha... He is a mafia [member]... ha... ha...," an unidentified man told undercover investigators.

He pointed his finger at a Singaporean in a yellow checked shirt, who was counting stash of cash on his desk. The Singaporean smiled and said, "The problem is that somebody asks me to smuggle. The problem is the buyer. No buyer, no smuggling."

Jambi – A lecturer said here on Friday that some student groups have hidden agendas for staging protests in the province ahead of the direct elections of regional administrations.

Palu (Central Sulawesi) – Central Sulawesi Police named as suspects on Friday 19 councillors for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Rp 2.9 billion (US$322,222) in Buol regency budgetary funds between 2001 and 2004.

Kupang – Hundreds of residents staged a protest on Friday outside the East Nusa Tenggara council building, demanding the release of a local youth leader allegedly detained by soldiers.

Aldi Dalton Ndolu, the chairman of Kayu Putih Youth Organization, was apprehended by soldiers on Thursday after he attended the funeral of a local resident in Kupang city.

Shaunak Mazumder, Jakarta – "You are late for class," my English teacher said, "Sorry, Miss. There is a lot of traffic on the way to school lately." This has most definitely become a regular excuse for many of the people residing in Jakarta. Jakarta is under constant construction to extend the busway service in the city.

John Aglionby – It is almost eight weeks since the Boxing Day tsunami devastated much of the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province on the northern tip of Sumatra and it appears the world is beginning to suffer media fatigue over the story.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Banda Aceh – Muzakir Sulaiman heads the Banda Aceh municipal manpower office but he cannot go to work. While he has attended several coordination meetings for public services, he has done little else and he finds it hard to summon up the energy to get busy.

Tom McCawley, Banda Aceh – In a crammed row of storefronts, only Joy Optikal, an eyeglasses shop, has reopened on a dusty street of the tsunami-battered city of Banda Aceh.

Tom Noble – In a small hospital in East Timor a father smiles. His once-blind son has seen the light, literally, after an operation by Australian doctors. It's a small miracle. A gift of sight.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – Government officials appeared indifferent when responding to a survey by Transparency International Indonesia (TII), which ranked Jakarta and the customs office most corrupt institutions.

Luhur Hertanto, Jakarta – The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs, Widodo AS, has revealed that the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) has agreed to including special autonomy in the agenda to be discussed in the next informal meeting between GAM and the Indonesian government which is to take place in Helsinki.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – A brief commotion ended a five-hour hearing between the Attorney General's Office (AGO) and the House of Representatives on Thursday following a lawmaker's remark depicting Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh as "an Islamic preacher in a village of thieves".

Jakarta – The most egregious case of timber smuggling ever discovered – valued at more than US$1 billion – was made public on Thursday by two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who also accused Indonesian military and government officials of running the racket.

John Aglionby – Environmental activists have exposed what they claim to be the world's biggest timber smuggling racket, the supply of the luxurious dark hardwood, merbau, from Indonesia's eastern Papua province to China and then on to Europe and north America.

Jakarta – For Moudy Lintuuran, expanding her rubber supply business was not easy. Trying to obtain a bank loan last year, she had to deal with a maze of bureaucracy and discriminative treatment.

Cutting beaurocratic red tape has been marked as a priority area by foreign investors interested in Indonesia. President Susilo Bambang Yudhyono was in Malaysia and Singapore this week talking up the benefits of his country as an investment destination. Indonesia has unveiled plans for massive infrastructure improvements and it needs millions of jobs for the ranks of unemployed.

The Indonesian government is considering splitting the province currently known as Papua into five new provinces, in what is seen by many to be another weapon in its fight against Papua's separatist movement.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) announced on Thursday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had appointed three new military chiefs of staff, giving him four candidates to be named TNI's next commander.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signaled that the United States was ready to restore full military training ties with Indonesia that were downgraded 13 years ago.

Rice told a Senate panel she was in the "final stages" of consultations with Congress on certifying Indonesia as eligible to benefit from the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program.

David Loyn, East Timor – Aprecio Guterres will be the last person to be tried by the war crimes court set up in East Timor.

After his case has been heard, the United Nations has ordered the court to close, as operations wind down ahead of the final UN pullout on 20 May. It has already stayed a year beyond its original mandate, and no further extension looks likely.

The reconstruction of Aceh moved into a new stage this week with the completion of military-style barracks to shelter victims of the December 26 tsunami. Not all the barracks have been completed but some 3,281 families, or more than 11,000 people, have now moved from their tents – that had been their home since the December 26 disaster – to the more substantial constructions.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and dozens of its international counterparts are teaming up to take an active role in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Aceh and North Sumatra, Red Cross representatives said on Wednesday.

Jakarta – Discussion of the Draft Law on Defense and Security (RUU Hankam) which has been initiated up by Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono is a step backwards in efforts to reform the Indonesian armed forces (TNI).

Rusman, Nunukan, East Kalimantan – The Malaysia government's threat to crack down on Indonesian illegal workers has not only affected the illegals, but also Indonesian workers whose status is completely above board.

Bandung – Environment activists and Bandung residents have filed a civil lawsuit on Wednesday against Bandung Mayor Dada Rosada over the development of the Punclut Tourist Resort.

Washington – Researchers and advocates today called on US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to consider new evidence of Indonesian involvement in an August 2002 attack on US citizens within the Freeport mining project area in Timika, West Papua, Indonesia, before releasing International Military Education and Training (IMET) military aid to the Indonesian military (TNI).

Bekasi – The ongoing construction of Blue Oasis City complex in Karangkitri, Bekasi, has come up against protest from all sides.

Aji Ngumboro, member of Bekasi council Commission A for legal and administrative affairs, said the administration should stop the project that is being developed by PT Rekapastika.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – In the eyes of the business community, Jakarta is the most corrupt city and the customs service the most corrupt institution in the country, according to a survey by Transparency International Indonesia (TII), the results of which were revealed on Wednesday.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Law No. 32/2004 on regional administrations could create undemocratic elections of governors, mayors and regents, scheduled to begin in June across the country, a court heard on Wednesday.

Budi Hartadi, Surabaya – There are many ways to express opposition to fuel price increases. On Thursday February 17, scores of students from the University of Airlingga (Unair) Student Executive Council (BEM) chose to demonstrate by walking backwards to the East Java provincial parliament in Surabaya.

Gunawan Mashar, Makassar – Planned fuel price hikes which are soon to be announced by the government continue to attract a response from the public. Students in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar demonstrated against the price increase by hijacking a petrol truck.

Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir has rejected charges he was involved in terrorist plots including the 2002 Bali bombings and said President George W. Bush was behind the allegations.

Mark Forbes, Canberra – A Defence Department official deliberately cut the flow of military intelligence to troops in the field in East Timor. But the official's identity is being concealed while the department decides what action to take.

Anton Muhajir, Denpasar – It was drizzling that Saturday, but Ketut Karja and his two friends were still working in their rice field in Legian, on the outskirts of north Kuta. Across the street, several Westerners were seen sitting in the gazebo of a restaurant. They were separated only by several rice fields and a highway known as "Sunset Road".

Washington – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday she is moving to reinstate US military training assistance for Indonesia, an important step toward restoring full military ties.

Environmental investigators say they have uncovered massive timber smuggling from Indonesia's Papua province to China in what they described as the world's largest logging racket involving one wood species.

Pekanbaru (Riau) – Fire has razed 14,000 hectares of forest in two regencies here over the past week, and causing smoke haze problems.

Due to the haze problem, at least 26 people have been treated at hospitals after suffering respiratory symptoms, a high ranking official said on Wednesday.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) has rejected a government's plan to merge state-owned Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) with a publicly-listed state bank.

Jakarta – As many as 90 non governmental organizations (NGOs) and 80 individuals have challenged Law No. 19/2004, which strengthens a government regulation in lieu of law approving open pit mining in protected forests.

Palu (Central Sulawesi) – A resident of the Alabibi subdistrict, Banggai Islands regency, Central Sulawesi province, has been arrested after he announced that he was a Muslim prophet.

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – As a follow up to January's Infrastructure Summit, the Ministry of Transportation will start the tender processes in March and April for three projects worth over Rp 8 trillion (US$864.9 million).