Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Lobbying among politicians has intensified in the past few days, with vice presidential candidate Siswono Yudohusodo and several Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) clerics being the latest group of people to meet President Megawati Soekarnoputri at her official residence on Jl. Teuku Umar here on Friday.

Jakarta – Presidential front runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and running mate Jusuf Kalla have begun their search for coalition partners even though they had insisted just days ago that any political alliance would be made only after the September 20 run-off.

Makassar/Pelembang/Pekanbaru/Samarinda – Prosecutors are unearthing more evidence of endemic corruption in provincial administrations involving potential losses to the state of billions of rupiah, with dozens of local councillors and government officials allegedly involved.

Jakarta, Kompas – A number of non-government organisations (NGOs) and students from the pro-democracy movement have rejected the planned deliberation of the draft law on the Indonesian National Armed Forces (RUU TNI) by the People's Representative Assembly (DPR).

Fitri Wulandari, Jakarta – A group of legislators suspect that some of their colleagues have been bribed into approving the governmental regulation in lieu of law which allows open pit mining in protected forest areas.

Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – The Parliament Watchdog joined the opposition to the amended bill on the Indonesian Military (TNI) on Friday, calling on the House of Representatives not to push for a deliberation due to time constraints.

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta – Jakarta could be a "smoke-free city" soon as the Sutiyoso administration is planning to ban all cigarette smoking in public places.

Olivier Roy, Project Syndicate – Many believe that religious revival and political radicalism among Muslims who reside in the West reflects the traditions and conflicts of the Middle East or the wider Muslim world.

Steve Lewis and Nigel Wilson – The Howard Government is threatening to suspend talks with East Timor over control of billions of dollars worth of oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea until after the election, following remarks by Mark Latham that a Labor government would consider restarting negotiations.

Canberra – East Timor's economic future would be given more weight in talks over oil and gas royalties if Labor was elected, Opposition Leader Mark Latham said today.

Mark Dodd, Darwin – Anti-government demonstrations this week in East Timor's capital involving former guerrilla fighters indicate a growing frustration among veterans who feel robbed of their independence dividend in a fledgling nation with a profoundly weak economy and high unemployment.

Michelle Grattan, Canberra – The Flood report has rejected an allegation that a pro-Jakarta lobby within the Defence Intelligence Organisation distorted intelligence estimates on East Timor so that the Government got what it wanted to hear.

Tiarma Siboro and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – Puteh will still be free to resume his duties as Aceh governor and the province's civil emergency administrator, after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has finished questioning him in a graft scam, a minister has said.

A riot in the East Timorese capital Dili this week has turned the spotlight on simmering political tensions in the country. Cornelio Gama, a dissident former commander of Falintil who goes by his jungle codename L-7 led about a hundred supporters in a demonstration against the government. The government denies that it's facing a serious challenge.

Dadan Kuswaraharja, Jakarta – Worker and environment activists demonstrated at the PT Newmont Mining Group Jakarta office following the exposure of pollution in the Gulf of Buyat which has cased Minamata sickness. They were demanding that Newmont take responsibility.

Canberra – An Indonesian court's ruling that the country's anti-terror laws can't be applied retroactively does not necessarily mean those already convicted in the Bali bombings will be set free, the Australian government said Friday.

Jakarta – A military analyst and a legislator called on lawmakers on Wednesday to delay the deliberation of the Indonesian Military (TNI) bill, as the draft was flawed.

P.C. Naommy and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Non-governmental organizations grouped in the Coalition Against Debt (KAU) called for the establishment of an independent body to audit World Bank loans to the country to determine whether or not they must be repaid in full.

Tiarma Siboro and Ruslan Sangadji, Jakarta/Palu – Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) called for the withdrawal of reinforcement troops and police personnel from Central Sulawesi on Wednesday for their failure to stop renewed attacks in Poso and Palu.

James Wong Wing On – Indonesia, Malaysia's giant neighbour to the south, is more than a frequent source of haze, illegal migrants, maids and terrorists.

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta – The Ministry of Forestry will issue new regulations to establish strict conditions for firms operating in protected forests, in a bid to minimize environmental destruction.

Syofiardi Bachyul and Slamet Susanto, Padang/Yogyakarta – The theft of eggs of three protected turtle species in West Sumatra is threatening the very existence of the turtles, researcher Harfiandri Damanhuri has warned.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – President Megawati Soekarnoputri officially stripped Abdullah Puteh of his powers as Aceh governor and administrator of the civil emergency on Wednesday.

However, Puteh's lawyers say the move means Puteh would be back at work in his job as early as this week.

Jakarta – Although the government has yet to issue regulations on the gas sector, private firms have started building a network for gas distribution, showing great confidence in the future prospects for the business.

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Aside from solving the existing problems that hamper investment, the government could also provide tax incentives for both local and foreign investors to lure them into investing their money here, a top businessman has suggested.

United States officials are debating when they might be able to resume military aid to Indonesia now that the US Department of Justice has indicted an alleged separatist for the murder of two Americans in Papua province in August 2002.

Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) decided on Wednesday that perforated ballot papers in the July 5 polls could be disposed of only after a president is installed on October 5.

P.C. Naommy, Jakarta – A non-governmental organization has alleged that smuggling and trading in endangered bird species continue unabated, despite legislation that prohibits the illegal activities.

State troops have killed more than 230 suspected separatist rebels in Aceh province since martial law was lifted two months ago, an official said Wednesday (21/7/04).

Police spokesman Senior Commissioner Anjaya said that from May 19 to July 19, troops killed 232 members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). That's an average of more than four killings a day.

Jakarta – Mr Jusuf Kalla, front runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's running mate, said his camp was not worried about the manoeuvres of political leaders to form coalitions.

He asserted that meeting voters at the grassroots level was of more strategic value than talking to politicians who claim to have a huge support base.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – With the presidency appearing to slip through its fingers, Golkar Party is proposing a permanent coalition among parties that control the most seats in the House of Representatives to ensure a strong and effective government.

Jakarta – Responding to a letter sent by East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao, the East Timorese parliament and East Timorese Attorney General Longuinhos Monteiro stating that the former governor of East Timor Abilio Soares was innocent, Indonesian foreign minister Nur Hassan Wirajuda said that no party is entitled to intervene in the legal system of Indonesia.

Reporter: Nance Haxton

Mark Colvin: The Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has strongly rebuffed criticisms and complaints from East Timor over the controversial Sunrise Gas Field negotiations.

The Australian Democrats have backed a call for New Zealand to mediate in negotiations between East Timor and Australia over the Timor Sea boundary.

The mediation is expected to determine the seabed boundary, thereby dividing control of an estimated $30 billion in royalties from Timor Sea oil and gas deposits.

Reporter: Tanya Nolan

Tony Eastely: East Timor says that if it can't resolve its differences with Australia over maritime rights it wants New Zealand to step in as a mediator. The idea was floated by the country's foreign minister, Jose Ramos Horta, in a speech he gave in Sydney last night.

Australia – By the medium of our Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, is presenting a very unattractive face to the world, not least our Pacific and South-East Asian neighbours, as it negotiates with East Timor over borders between the two countries, and rights to some of the oil royalties in the disputed areas.

Gary LaMoshi, Denpasar – Even a vicious dry-season rainstorm that lasted nearly 24 hours couldn't dampen spirits among Bali tourists and the island's hospitality industry. Nearly two years after bombs killed more than 200 people in the main resort area of Kuta Beach, foreigners are streaming back to Bali.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Indonesia accepts the Swedish prosecutors' decision to drop charges against Hasan Tiro, the exiled former chief of the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Tuesday.

But Hassan urged Sweden to continue the legal action against the self-styled GAM leaders Zaini Abdullah and Malik Mahmood.

Tim Johnston, Jakarta – Indonesia soldiers carry body of Said Adnan, who has been identified as a governor for Free Aceh Movement in North Aceh. File photo – Jan. 16, 2004

Reports from Indonesia's northern province of Aceh say that more than 200 people have been killed by the army and police in the past two months.

During the first round of this year's Indonesian Presidential election campaign, presidential candidates demonstrated their singing prowess to the public. The campaign was characterised by the use of artistic performance. It was also distinguished by a lack of violence that has marred previous Indonesian polls.

Presenter/Interviewer: Claudette Werden

There's confusion tonight in Dili as to the whereabouts of East Timor's dissident Falantil guerilla fighter Cornelio Gama, otherwise known as L7.

Palu – Central Sulawesi remained calm on Monday, a day after masked gunmen killed a Christian minister in Palu, as Christian and Muslim leaders condemned the attack and urged their laity to shun revenge.

Jon Afrizal, Jambi – About 1,300 people from the Kubu tribe living in Bukit Duabelas National Park, Jambi, are being marginalized as a result of serious damage to the protected forest.

The need to earn a living has forced some members of the tribe to participate in illegal logging, which has contributed greatly to rapid deforestation in the park.

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – For three years, former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid has not made any attempt to mend his relationship with Megawati Soekarnoputri after she replaced her as president in July 2001.

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – With interest rates at a record low, and plenty of cheap credit floating around, it is hardly surprising that there is substantial optimism in the Indonesian automobile industry.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has denied pressuring 274,000 employees of state plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) XII to vote for President Megawati Sukarnoputri and running mate Hasyim Muzadi in the July 5 presidential election.

Jakarta – Indonesian troops have killed more than 230 alleged separatist guerrillas in Aceh province since martial law was lifted two months ago.

Some 232 alleged members of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) – or almost four people a day on average – died in clashes between May 19 and July 19, said Police Senior Commissioner Anjaya.

Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta – The House of Representatives (DPR) is planning to start discussing the revised bill on the Indonesian Military (TNI) during the recess period that will end on August 14.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Several election workers have admitted to tampering with poll results, in yet another scandal to hit Indonesia's first direct presidential vote on July 5.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) said yesterday that it has fired seven local officials from West Kalimantan province for vote tampering.

Surabaya – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)'s presidential campaign team in East Java province has denied intimidating 274,000 workers of state plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) XII in an attempt to get them to vote for Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi in the July 5 election.