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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

Muklis Ali and Dean Yates, Jakarta – Indonesia's president insisted on Thursday there were no quick fixes to the country's many woes and said crippling a rebel movement in Aceh was vital to ending violence that has killed thousands in the troubled province.

Kel Dummett – Everywhere you go in Papua the message is the same – Merdeka! Merdeka! Freedom! Freedom! This is particularly true today, the anniversary of the 1967 Act of Free Choice, which led to Indonesia's annexation of the former Dutch colony.

Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – The 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945) has gone through at least seven crucial phases since it was endorsed by the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) on August 18, 1945, just one day after the Declaration of Independence.

Army Chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu has urged the people of Papua to help the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) quell separatism in the resource-rich province.

Ryacudu made the statement Thursday in an address read out at a ceremony by the province's military chief Major General Mahidin Simbolon.

Tiarma Siboro and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta – With just one day to go until the convening of the People's Consultative Assembly Annual Session, noted legal practitioner and human rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis warned of a possible vacuum should the political parties not agree to proceed with the constitutional amendment process.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Indonesian judges are in the spotlight again, incurring the wrath of corruption watchdogs, for refusing to make their wealth public.

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.

[Australia and East Timor are squaring off for their first serious disagreement, government-to-government. Over the next 30 years Australia stands to earn billions of dollars in royalties from oil and gas reserves in the Timor Sea. East Timor is getting some of the royalties, but believes it should be getting more.

Craig Skehan, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei – East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri last night denied his government had tried to link negotiations on sharing oil and gas revenues to Australia providing maritime surveillance in the Timor Sea.

Jakarta – The government has asked US-based copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia to immediately deal with the pollution emanating from its mines near the Papuan towns of Tembagapura and Timika.

Debbie A. Lubis, Jakarta – Noted Muslim leaders cautioned the United States on Wednesday against forcing Indonesia to crack down on hardline religious groups in the country.

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta – Military Police Commander Maj. Gen Sulaiman A.B. announced on Tuesday that Governor Sutiyoso was a suspect of the July 27, 1996 incident when hundreds of progovernment civilians and military attacked the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

New York – US Secretary of State Colin Powell should urge Indonesia to demonstrate effective civilian control of the military and take action to hold senior military officers accountable for human rights abuses, Human Rights Watch said in a backgrounder released today.

Bruce Hextall – East Timor's latest proposal in the sharing of the Timor Sea's vast oil and gas reserves could be viewed as a positive step in resolving some of the issues now subject to debate.

Tim Dodd, Bandar Seri Begawan – East Timor has asked Australia to take over part of its maritime security in a new treaty that would substantially increase the ocean area in which the two countries share billions of dollars in oil and gas revenue.

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – At least 5,700 East Timorese who have chosen to stay in Indonesia threatened on Tuesday to snub the 2004 general election to protest the government's failure to heed their demand for compensation.

Max Lane, Jakarta – On July 22, several political parties organised a seminar to discuss the contemporary implications of the July 27, 1996, attack by pro-Suharto thugs on the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). During that raid, PDI members loyal to Megawati Sukarnoputri were killed, injured and some have disappeared.

Jakarta – Both employers and labor unions slammed the House of Representatives and the government for the much-criticized labor bills, saying the House and the government team preparing the two bills had failed to bridge the gap between employers and workers.

Chris McCall, Jakarta – West Papua's separatist presidium fears it will be declared illegal and its members arrested under a new operation ordered by the region's police chief.

Jakarta – Indonesia's armed forces chief said yesterday that the soldier thought to be directly responsible for the mysterious death of an independence leader in Indonesia's Papua province had been arrested.

Jakarta – The military and police in Aceh are anticipating a mass strike during the celebration of Independence Day on August 17 in the restive province.

Police chief Insp. Gen. Yusuf Manggabarani told a media conference the security personnel had heard rumors of a mass strike circulating in the westernmost province.

Brendan Pereira, Malaysia – As expected, Asean ministers flagged terrorism as a major threat at the end of its annual ministerial meeting in Brunei.

Along the corridors of the cavernous convention centre, diplomats from member countries spoke passionately about the need to make the region an inhospitable place for terror cells.

Dan Murphy, Jakarta – Pius Lustrilanang says he's bled his last drop for President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

In 1998, as Indonesia's Suharto dictatorship fought to restrain the democracy movement Megawati had inspired, Mr. Lustrilanang was snatched off a Jakarta street and taken to a dank military interrogation center. His crime: leading a pro-Megawati student group.

[Tomorrow Indonesia's National Assembly the MPR is to begin its annual session. Over ten days 500 assembly members will vote on groundbreaking changes to Indonesia's constitution. But first up on the MPR agenda is President Megawati Sukarnoputri's 12 month progress report to the assembly.