Tb. Arie Rukmantara, Jakarta – A minister said Wednesday there was a warning of the tsunami that hit the southern coast Monday, but added that it was issued at too short notice to alert local communities.

Jakarta – A group of non-governmental organizations warned the government and lawmakers Wednesday to give a bill on freedom of information higher priority than one regarding state secrecy.

The NGOs, including Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) and the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, said the bill on state secrecy was progressing more quickly.

Jakarta – Lawmakers made a plea Wednesday for the Press Council to rein in the media, which they said had gone too far in criticizing the House of Representatives.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – An alliance of non-governmental organizations criticized the House of Representatives on Wednesday for what it called poor performance over the past three months, during which time the legislature enacted only four new laws. Lawmakers still served the executive body and their own political parties rather than the public, critics added.

Jakarta – The National Police announced new crowd control guidelines Wednesday that would allow officers to fire real bullets to halt riots.

"This new procedure will wipe out doubts for officers about whether they're allowed to use real bullets when facing chaotic crowds," National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paulus Purwoko said in Cikeas, Bogor.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – In an apparent face-saving measure aimed at boosting its chances in the 2009 elections, the Democrat Party (PD) has endorsed a recommendation by the House of Representatives' disciplinary council to dismiss one of its lawmakers for unethical conduct.

Katarina Pujiastuti – The spirit of unity filled the air as democratic organisations agreed to build a Party of National Liberation Unity (KP-PAPERNAS). Trade unions, student organisations, progressive political parties and poor people's organisations agreed on a common platform and strategy at a conference on June 20-21.

Jakarta – Water customers represented by the People's Coalition for the Right to Water (KRUHA) complained Tuesday about the service provided by the city's two water companies. They urged the Jakarta administration to end its partnership with foreign firms PT Palyja and PT Thames PAM Jaya (TPJ).

Tony Hotland, Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) plans to widen its wealth-reporting system to target lower government and state officials rather than just those at the top.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Legislators passed a landmark law Tuesday that affords protection to witnesses and victims of crime during the legal process, but victims' rights advocates complain its measures are inadequate.

Victor Tjahjadi, Pangandaran – Rescuers have dug with bare hands in a grim search for more bodies after more than 520 people were confirmed killed in the second tsunami to strike Indonesia in as many years.

Medan – Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to allocate 500,000 euro (about US$394,000) to pay the fees of a consultant or joint spokesman to counter campaigns launched by non-governmental organizations against palm oil production in the two countries.

Kuala Lumpur – Haze has persisted over parts of Malaysia due to smoke from forest fires in Indonesia but there are hopes of rain to clear the air, an official said.

Parts of the northern resort island of Penang, and Perak, Selangor and Kedah states were suffering poor visibility from smoke particles being blown from Indonesia's Sumatra island by southwesterly winds.

Alia Azmi, Jakarta – Controlling hectic traffic during morning rush hour is not the only activity keeping the police busy these days. A newly acquired duty is "spike patrol", or clearing main streets of nails that mysteriously appear every morning and cause punctures to tires of passing vehicles.

Jakarta – Indonesian responses ranged from despair to acceptance after a tsunami on Monday killed at least 256 people on Java, the latest in a line of disasters to hit the sprawling, developing nation in recent years.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Indonesian embassies in seven countries may have been wiretapped by the intelligence services of their host nations, a lawmaker said.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The House of Representatives on Monday dropped the ax on one lawmaker, and warned several others for unethical conduct.

Jakarta – House Speaker Agung Laksono has asked the Indonesian version of Playboy to stop publishing.

"Please heed public objections," he told journalists in Jakarta in response to the third edition of Playboy Indonesia, which, like the previous editions, does not feature nudity.

The illegal logging and smuggling of merbau timber from Papua involves a complex web of international middlemen, timber barons and financial backers, who cooperate with senior Indonesian government officials, environmental activists say.

No one caught in last year's Operation Hutan Lestari has been convicted of illegal logging because conflicting regulations are making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to fight the crime, the police say.

Jakarta – Thousands of people from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) blocked the Bundaran HI traffic circle Sunday to peacefully protest the recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon, newsportal Detik.com reported.

Ary Hermawan, Jakarta – The goodwill generated by the passing of the Citizenship Law on Tuesday will quickly dissipate if the government fails to end other forms of state discrimination against minorities in the country, experts warn.

Theresia Sufa, Bogor – Participants in the Asia Pacific International Labor Organization seminar, which finished in Jakarta on Friday, visited Ciomas, Bogor, on Tuesday to investigate the use of child labor in the footwear industry.

Theresia Sufa, Bogor – Going to school or playing is common for most children but it is a luxury for many youngsters living in the Ciomas district near Bogor. Many of the children are taken out of school as early as elementary level to help their parents earn additional money.

Jakarta – The final draft of a bill makes provisions for an institution to be set up to ensure that witnesses and victims are protected throughout their encounters with the justice system.

Adisti Sukma Sawitri, Jakarta – Activists and legislators strongly oppose President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's plan to issue a decree protecting government officials from prosecution for creating "erroneous" policies.

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – In an unprecedented move, the House of Representatives disciplinary committee recommended Saturday that a lawmaker be dismissed for unethical conduct.

Ary Hermawan and M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – Former Army chief Gen. (ret) Ryamizard Rayacudu is on the list of people to be investigated in connection with the recent discovery of an arms stash in the house of a deceased army logistics officer, Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Air Chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto said Friday.

Palu, Central Sulawesi – At least 60 drivers of Utama Taxi, one of the major taxi companies in the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu, went on strike Thursday, demanding that the company cut rental fees.

They staged a rally in front of Utama Taxi depot, demanding that the management lower the taxi rental fees and cut other obligations imposed on the drivers.

Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Employers are demanding the government review the social security system to eliminate corruption in the management of its huge labor fund, and to facilitate the planned review of the nation's labor law.

Jakarta – The head of the recently concluded security operation in Central Sulawesi's restive Poso and Palu said Friday the level of violence in the area had subsided during the six-month operation.

Jakarta – The National Police have placed a former two-star general allegedly involved in illegal logging on Interpol's international watch list.

M. Taufiqurrahman – The Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has proposed that the railway law require every train provide a women-only car to prevent sexual harassment of female passengers.

The city administration's free tuition education policy has been warmly welcomed by city residents. Many hope the policy will help students at risk of dropping out of school stay on and complete their studies, although the potential effect of the policy on education quality in the city has not yet been studied. The Jakarta Post asked people their views.

Jambi – Illegal logging in Jambi has escalated, causing the state to suffer billions of rupiah in losses as seen in the rising number of cases handled by the local police.

Jambi Police data indicates that the number of cases of log theft in the province has skyrocketed from only 18 with 23 suspects in 2003 to 74 with 136 suspects in 2005.

Jakarta – Members of the Salamullah religious sect lead by Lia Aminuddin, also known as Lia Eden, reported Wednesday to police that they had been threatened while at the Central Jakarta District Court.

Wahyu Andito said three unknown men made death threats to him and six other members during the court hearing of Abdul Rahman on Wednesday morning.

Slamet Susanto, Yogyakarta – Activists staging a hunger strike are demanding the government live up to pledges to provide financial assistance to the survivors of the May 27 earthquake in Yogyakarta and Central Java.

London – Multiple mutations have been found in the H5N1 bird flu virus that killed seven family members in Indonesia although scientists are unsure of their significance, a leading science journal said on Thursday. But researchers believe the findings reinforce the need for bird flu data to be more widely available to improve understanding of the deadly virus.

Chris Holm, Jakarta – On May 27, a natural gas drilling operation in Indonesia's East Java province got exceptionally messy.

Local prospector PT Lapindo Brantas was carrying out routine drilling at the Banjar Panji-1 well located near the town of Sidoarjo, a site that is part of a joint operation known as the Brantas Production Sharing Contract.

A land dispute between residents of two villages in North Seram district, Maluku, erupted into violence earlier this week, resulting in two deaths and three injuries.

The fatalities were identified as Iwan Makatita, 25, who was killed by an arrow, and Ikrar Aloahit, 24.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – The House of Representatives passed a citizenship bill Tuesday which took a step toward ending discrimination against people of Chinese descent. The law allows them to hold several key government posts, including the presidency, which were formerly closed to them.

Hera Diani, Jakarta – Legislators pronounced the citizenship law passed here Tuesday as revolutionary in ending discrimination against Chinese-Indonesians and Indonesian women of foreign spouses, but activists said more needed to be done in the future.

Andri Setyawan, Jakarta – The Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI) has welcomed the government's measure in extending the ban on rice imports.

"It's good. I hope this is followed by government measures to increase rice production," Siswono Yudohusodo, HKTI advisor, told Tempo yesterday (11/7).

Bill Guerin, Jakarta – Just hours after the December 2004 tsunami battered Indonesia's coastal areas, Vice President Jusuf Kalla jumped into action. Kalla unilaterally summoned the relevant ministers and from the ground began delegating relief efforts from the worst-hit province of Aceh.

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – Looking at the fact that Indonesian migrant workers abroad are often exploited and abused by their employers and lack legal recourse, Indonesia is urged to ratify a convention on migrant workers as a tool to convince destination countries to protect foreign workers.

Jakarta – Activists urged the government Monday to expedite the drafting of a long-awaited bill designed to protect domestic workers from discrimination, exploitation and mistreatment.

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara – Dozens of public minivan drivers rallied Monday in front of the transportation office in Mataram to protest conditions at the city's Mandalika bus terminal.

"Motorcycle taxi and taxi drivers are being allowed to pick up passengers at the terminal, which hurts minivan drivers," rally coordinator Taufik said.

Jakarta – The House of Representatives is to question Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Djoko Santoso here Monday about the recent discovery of a large arms stash at the house of a deceased two-star general.

Jakarta – Members of the Unity in Diversity Alliance came away disappointed Friday after trying to persuade the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction to stop the passage of the controversial pornography bill and enforcement of sharia bylaws.

Jakarta – Indonesian maids working overseas are still unaware of their right to report cases of abuse and other grievances to local authorities, activists say.