Yansen, Queensland – In the observance of World Food Day on Oct. 16, attention was given to the effects of climate change and bioenergy on the poor.

Ivana Prazic, Yogyakarta – "You married?" This frequently asked question is one of the most typical ways to break the ice when chit-chatting with everyone from a complete stranger next

Lindsay Murdoch, Darwin – East Timor's President, Jose Ramos-Horta, has found the man who shot and almost killed him, instantly recognising him during a visit to Dili's Becora jail.

Dili – Timor-Leste is addressing ancient land disputes created by centuries of occupation and confusion over land titles.

Nethy Dharma Somba, Jayapura – Nine Christian leaders in Papua have suggested the government hold a dialogue with the Papuan people to find the best solution for the ongoing dispute ove

Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta – The rupiah continued its slide Wednesday against the US dollar, with the market unresponsive to the government's newly launched set of fiscal policies, waiti

Slamet Sutanto, Yogyakarta – In Javanese tradition, a king or sultan is a figure with superlative abilities because of the divine revelation needed to become one.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The House of Representatives unanimously passed the presidential election bill Wednesday, bringing an end to a heated debate over the minimum support a party mus

Triwik Kurniasari, Jakarta – Environmental impact assessments (Amdal) are still not being enforced, with rivers becoming increasingly polluted while many industries do not properly trea

Adianto P.

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung – At least 15,000 employees of West Java's export-oriented companies have been laid off, with the decline in productivity caused by the current global economic

Andra Wisnu, Denpasar – Laborers gathered under the Bali chapter of the National Front for the Struggle of Indonesian Workers (FNPBI) rallied in Denpasar on Wednesday opposing a recent

Wasti Atmodjo, Denpasar – At least 110 participants from 15 Asian countries grouped under the Kartini Asia Network (KAN) will discuss various gender issues, including the current contro

Irwan Firdaus, Jakarta – Indonesia's parliament passed a bill banning pornography Thursday, ignoring opposition from lawmakers and rights groups who worry it will be used to justify att

Abdi Purmono, Jakarta – Around three hundred teachers demonstrated outside the Regional Education Office in Malang East Java on Thursday to demand a permanent status for thousands of te

Jakarta – Indonesian lawmakers rammed a far-reaching anti-pornography law through parliament Thursday despite howls of protest by artists and religious minorities who say it threatens n

Veeramalla Anjaiah, Jakarta – With concern setting in about the declining rupiah and share prices, there is good news yet: Indonesia next year will be much more stable than regional pee

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Most factions in the House of Representatives are pushing for the controversial pornography bill to be passed Thursday, despite a threat by the Indonesian Democr

Jakarta – The results of research and a political study by Charta Politika (Political Charter) has revealed that the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) has three sources of stren

Yogyakarta – The Sultan of Yogyakarta, a revered Indonesian royal who has long harbored political ambitions, told an audience of thousands made up of princes and commoners that he would

Dian Kuswandini, Jakarta – The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has fired six of its prosecutors, citing charges of bribery, extortion, drug abuse, negligence and disobedience.

Abdul Khalik – The House of Representatives has moved closer to a compromise to unanimously pass the presidential election bill on Wednesday, after nine of 10 factions agreed on the min

The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill that terms ethnic and racial discrimination as serious crimes.

Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara – The East Nusa Tenggara General Election Commission (KPUD) announced that at least 22 of the provinces 38 political parties have failed to meet the minimum q

Slamet Susanto and Tarko Sudiarno, Yogyakarta – After much speculation, Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X announced Tuesday his bid for the presidency in 2009, at a meeting th

Dili – Mounting tension between East Timor's government and the opposition and continued regional-based rivalries in the police and army have left the country in a state of "pre-crisis

Eighty years ago today a group of young men and women from far-flung islands assembled in Jakarta to pledge that they would be united under one motherland called Indonesia, one nation c

Jakarta – The Prosperous and Justice Party's (PKS) decision not to include President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on its list of presidential candidates will not hurt the President, preside

Aceh – After a two-week-visit to several regions in Aceh, the supreme leader of the disbanded Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist group Hasan Di Tiro left the province Sunday for his ho

Ross Peake – The Australian Defence Force is in East Timor for the long haul although the size of the contingent will vary according to the stability of the tiny nation.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has come under pressure to resolve the abduction cases of human rights activists from 1997 to 1998.

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara – Hundreds of people grouped under the Anti-Pornography Generation Alliance staged a rally at the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) governor's office Friday in suppor

Irawaty Wardany, Jakarta – Lawmakers deliberating the controversial bill on pornography will meet Monday to decide whether to pass or delay it until after the House of Representatives e

Jenna Hand – East Timor's Opposition Leader has denied a rally of up to 70,000 anti-government protesters would breach the fragile peace in the South-East Asian nation.

Andra Wisnu, Denpasar – Commercial sex workers have been found roaming some of Bali's more remote villages, increasing the possibility of a wider spread of HIV, a report from the Bali R

Suherdjoko, Semarang – The marriage of an underage girl to a wealthy Muslim cleric in Bedono village, Semarang regency, Central Java, has sparked controversy in the community.

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Ernawati recalls her outrage when her daughter, a second-grader at a private school in Bekasi, West Java, came home in tears one day.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Less than six months before the 2009 legislative elections in April, the public still have no idea about when they will take place, according to a survey relea

Jakarta – Most child molestation cases are committed by teachers, a study by the National Commission for Child Protection (KPIA) recently revealed.

Dicky Christanto, Bali – As many as 30 people from the Bali People's Component (KRB) organized a silent protest against the pornography bill at Sanur Beach on Thursday.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Two contentious issues have once again held up deliberations of the presidential election bill, leaving the way open for legislators to pass the bill through a v

Sunny Tanuwidjaja, Jakarta – The latest survey by Lembaga Survei Indonesia (LSI) seems to confirm a pattern of declining support for Islamic political parties since the reform era.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Entering their final year in office, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla remain unable to live up to their campaign promises to sig

Matt Crook, Dili – The streets of Dili are quiet – for now.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) has exercised a "disclaimer opinion" on financial reports from the Defense Ministry and the Indonesian Military (TNI) over the las

Dadan Widjaksana and Aditya Suharmoko, Jakarta, Beijing – The government has brushed aside claims there is a conflict among Cabinet members that has placed the position Finance Minister

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The House of Representatives' move to probe the abductions of democracy activists in the 1997-1998 period has received mixed reactions, with some pundits calling

Jakarta – House of Representatives inquiry team tasked with investigating the kidnappings of democratic activists from 1997-1998 summoned human rights activist Hendardi on Thursday.

Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – Observers are warning the 2009 legislative elections could fail because of the poor performance by the General Elections Commission (KPU) in preparing the nati

East Timor's Opposition Leader has rejected Government accusations that the Fretilin party is stoking security tensions by planning a mass demonstration.