Hamish McDonald – As Megawati Sukarnoputri edges closer to assuming the Indonesian presidency, she has given some signs of a more conciliatory approach to Australia and breakaway East Timor than indicated so far by her huffy nationalist stance in public.

Surabaya – Protesters in East Java have admitted that they were paid to hit the streets in support of President Abdurrahman Wahid, local police said.

Reuters in Sydney – With President Wahid fighting for his political survival and his supporters vowing to lay down their lives for him, aid agencies are preparing for a humanitarian crisis.

Jeremy Hobbs, executive director of Oxfam Community Aid Abroad, said the Australian charity already had contingency plans for a humanitarian catastrophe.

Bogor – There was a second explosion at the house of the parents of Budiman Sudjatmiko, chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PRD), in the village of Sukaresmi here on Thursday, following an explosion a day earlier.

Hamish McDonald – Warning of a new financial crisis in Indonesia, the Federal Opposition yesterday urged a softer approach by international lenders to the country's huge debt burden left by the collapsed Soeharto regime.

Jakarta – Some 10,000 supporters of President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid occupied on Wednesday the office of Situbondo local administration in East Java, paralyzing government activities in the coastal town.

Jakarta – Indonesia's intelligence agency has named a prominent Australian academic as a potential security threat, in the latest sign of the Megawati government's heightened sensitivity to criticism ahead of the July presidential election.

Jakarta – A day ahead of the much-anticipated plenary session of the House of Representatives (DPR), thousands of President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid supporters staged a protest at Monas (the National Monument) in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

Max Lane, Jakarta – If opponents of President Abdurrahman Wahid have their way, when it meets on May 30 the Indonesian parliament will call a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly, the only body which has the power to impeach and oust the president, for as early as late July.

Surabaya – Security forces fired warning shots into the air in an attempt to disperse thousands of supporters of President Abdurrahman Wahid who tried to forcibly enter the provincial legislative council building here on Tuesday.

Jakarta – Pro-democracy activists, alarmed of strong signs of a reappearance of the military within politics, warned the Indonesian Military (TNI) on Monday not to enter the political contest, saying that this would be the biggest contribution it could make to democracy.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Abandoned by almost all of Jakarta's political elite, some of whom think he has lost grasp of reality, Abdurrahman Wahid is showing there is little he will not do to remain president.

Jakarta – Hundreds of enraged supporters of beleaguered Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid on Monday attacked buildings linked to rival politicians and burned tyres in the cleric's stronghold of East Java, local Metro TV reported.

Surabaya – East Java authorities have stepped up precaution measures in anticipation of possible unrest resulting from the heightened tension between members of political elite in Jakarta.

Governor Imam Utomo called a crisis meeting with Brawijaya Military commander Maj. Gen. Sudi Silalahi, provincial police chief Insp. Gen.

Jakarta – The city's hospitals are struggling to admit new patients and are having a hard time treating existing ones because a collapsed dike has caused a shortage in clean water supplies.

John McBeth, Jakarta – The Indonesian military is in a sorry state at a bad time. Many of its aircraft can't take to the skies, most of its ships are stuck in port and spare parts and technical assistance are hard to find. Poor logistics and maintenance only add to the catalogue of problems.

Jakarta – Illegal loggers are suspected of moving border posts between Indonesia and Malaysia in the rainforests of Borneo island, causing Indonesia to lose some territory, the government said yesterday.

Jakarta – Deputy Speaker of House of Representative (DPR) for Political and Security Affairs, Sutardjo Surjoguritno, and House Commission II received representatives of organizations that demand the DPR disband Golkar Party today.

Hestiana Dharmastuti/HD, Jakarta – On Wednesday, around 200 workers came to the Vice President Palace. They are demanding the disbandment of the Labour and Transmigration Ministry. Besides that, they are demanding to withdraw the Minister of Labour and Transmigration decree, (Kepmennakertrans) Number 78/Men/2001.

Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – Indonesia's military chief Admiral Widodo Adisucipto, seeking to defuse tensions that could trigger sporadic violence across the archipelago, called on the country's squabbling political elite to strike a compromise.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – The United States has entered the political debate in Indonesia, saying that the military must obey the civilian government, just days after army chiefs resisted moves by President Abdurrahman Wahid to impose martial law, dissolve parliament and call fresh elections.

Robert Go, Jakarta – A change of leadership in Jakarta is crucial to Indonesia's economic recovery, say business leaders and analysts.

After 19 months in which the economy has spiralled downwards – from recovering to moving towards another potential crisis – many businessmen and ordinary Indonesians yearn for a more consistent government.

Rizal Maslan/HD, Jakarta – The meeting of the Army Forced generals at the Indonesian Military's headquarters last Saturday has indicated the evidence that the military have steadily inched their way back into position and are readying themselves for an attempt to take back their power.

Jakarta – Former Indonesian president Suharto was a better leader than Mr Abdurrahman Wahid, according to a readers' poll conducted by the Media Indonesia daily.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Jakarta has witnessed some very strange events in the last 48 hours – the army's strategic reserve chief Lieutenant-General Ryamizard Ryacudu sitting astride a tank told his troops that he would defend democracy to the hilt, amid threats that the first democratically elected president was about to declare martial law.

Indra Shalihin/HD Detik, Jakarta – Around 300 workers from the National Front for Indonesian Labour Struggle (FNPBI) staged a demonstration at the Indonesia Hotel roundabout. They urged the government to revoke the minister of labour decree No 78/2001 which is considered to harm the workers.

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid is seeking to patch up ties with his old Muslim allies, who have turned political foes, a palace source said yesterday. The move is a desperate attempt to save his presidency if he fails to secure a compromise with his estranged deputy Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Bagus Kurniawan/HD, Yogyakarta – Around one hundred students from various universities in Yogyakarta, Central Java staged a demonstration in front of the Yogyakarta Provincial Legislative. They demanded the disbandment of the National Resillience Institute (Lemhanas) and Distric Military Command (Kodim) because they are part of the Indonesia Military's (TNI) political institution.

Djoko Tjiptono/FW, Jakarta – The third year of the step-down of iron-fist ruler Suharto was commemorated by students across the country. In Jakarta, around 500 students of Student Action Front for Reform and Democracy (Famred) assembled at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout, Jakarta, Monday.

Muchus Budi Rahayu/HD, Jakarta – In solo, Central Java, an action to commemorate three years of the Suharto's stepping down on May 21, 1998 were cheered with the demands of the disbandment of the Golkar and the parliament. All elements of students and youths came to the Solo Golkar office on Jl Hasanuddin, Monday reported Detik.

Jakarta – Members of the Anti-Communist Coalition (AAK) made visits to a number of major bookstores here on Saturday, but the alliance did not act on its earlier threat to raid them for leftist titles on Sunday.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Indonesia's President Wahid is refusing to drop plans to sack senior generals, declare martial law and disband parliament in moves that have intensified the country's power struggle.

Jakarta – A senior Indonesian military commander yesterday urged troops to remain loyal to the nation and not to any individual after generals warned President Abdurrahman Wahid not to dissolve parliament or declare a state of emergency.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Taufik Kiemas, the wealthy businessman husband of Megawati Sukarnoputri, sent a recent message to Abdurrahman Wahid at the presidential palace in Jakarta: "What would it take for you to resign?" Despite Mr Wahid's political isolation amid a bitter power struggle with MPs, he ignored the message, which some near him interpreted as the offer of a bribe.

Jakarta – Social and religious leaders in a district of the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan have agreed to the conditional return of Madurese refugees who fled weeks of bloodshed in February. "We mostly agreed that the Madurese can return, but we also set conditions," said Mr Gusti Abdul Hamid, spokesman for the "people's deliberation" meeting.

Jakarta - City Police detectives questioned a coordinator of the Solidarity for Peace in East Timor (Solidamor), a non-governmental organization, on Friday, in connection with last week's Guntur bombing, which claimed at least three lives.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Recession-hit, lower-income Indonesians are turning to instant noodles instead of rice as a key source of nourishment, sending sales soaring.

Jakarta – Thousands of protesters in Indonesia's Sulawesi province forced a two-hour cut in electricity and telephone services to oppose a visit by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid.

Jakarta – Police in Jakarta have shot dead 36 thugs and nabbed 682 others across the city in a month-long anti-hoodlum campaign, an official has said. The city administration has also arrested 20,946 public order offenders in the capital during the same period.

Jakarta – Indonesia's Supreme Court will examine demands that the Golkar party of former president Suharto be disbanded because of corruption and vote-rigging, the new Chief Justice announced yesterday.

Vaudine England – Days before a threatened sweep by radical Islamic groups against book stores alleged to be selling communist books, support for freedom of expression is gaining momentum in Indonesia.

Vaudine England – Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri may be readying herself to assume the presidency, but she faces daunting obstacles before she can be sure of taking power.

Jakarta – Nearly 1,000 protesters yesterday staged a demonstration at the house of Ginandjar Kartasasmita a former minister declared a suspect in a corruption case who was released from the Attorney Generals Office (AGO) after the court ruled that the detention was illegal.

Jakarta – Top Indonesian Military (TNI) brass have again warned that they would reject any top level reshuffle in the military command if it was geared toward particular political purposes, such as forming political alliances.

Jakarta – Under the threat of massive labor rallies, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Al-Hilal Hamdi decided on Wednesday to delay for 14-days the implementation of a ministerial decree annulling severance pay and service fees to retired or dismissed workers.

Robert Go, Jakarta – Frustrated with the lack of recovery and stability at home, many Indonesian businessmen are scouting for opportunities and investing abroad just when the country needs all the capital it can get. They described other countries such as Thailand, Vietnam or Malaysia as better for investments.

Jakarta – Indonesia needs around US$28.45 billion in new investment over the next 10 years to stave off a power crisis which has begun to hit some parts of the country.

Based on the national electricity general plan, the country's power sector is already at a critical stage, said mines and energy director-general for electricity, Mr Luluk Sumiarso.

Nuriddin Lazuardi/HD, Jakarta – A political observer Kusnanto Anggoro from Central Strategy for International Studies (CSIS) believes that several political parties which attended the meeting within the House's factions in Indonesia Hotel has an interest to take back the military power into the politcal arena.

Max Lane – While efforts by the state to mount a lawsuit against Indonesia's former dictator collapsed ignominiously last year, the PRD has succeeded in taking Suharto and 12 other generals to court for the unlawful arrest of its members in 1996. This is the only lawsuit now before a court in Indonesia which is exposing the human rights abuses of Suharto and his generals.

London – A respected think-tank says Indonesian Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri will replace President Abdurrahman Wahid by legal means this year but will be little more successful in stabilising the sprawling country.