Djoko Tjitono/Fitri & GB, Jakarta – Around 200 activists under the banner of the "Women's Pledge" or "Kaulan Perempuan" held a lively demonstration at Hotel Indonesia roundabout in the centre of Jakarta, Friday, to celebrate "Anti Violence Against Women" day. The demonstrators demanded an end to all violence against women.

Jakarta – After a series of long investigations, police named nine high-ranking military and police officers on Thursday as suspects in the violent takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters in Central Jakarta in 1996.

Ali Kotarumalos, Jakarta – Police fired warning shots Thursday and beat demonstrators at the national parliament, where opposing groups rallied for and against President Abdurrahman Wahid. At least four protesters were injured.

Khairul Ikhwan D/BI & GB, Medan – Tens of entertainment workers gathered at the Medan Tourism office in North Sumatra province to urge the Medan City Council to revoke the Mayoral decree on the closure of their workplaces during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan and Idul Fitri celebrations.

Khaerul Ikhwan/Fitri & GB, Medan – Up to 500 workers and NGO members staged a rally in front of the North Sumatra Governor's office on Jl Diponegoro in the capital Medan, Thursday. They demanded a rise in the provincial minimum wage and that the Board established by the government to determine the wages be disbanded.

Chaidir Anwar Tanjung/BI & GB, Pekanbaru – Seven islands in Riau province have disappeared completely since 1980 due to environmental degradation caused by excessive oil drilling offshore, contamination of the sea by oil tankers, the clearance and destruction of mangrove areas and the disappearance of coral reefs.

Dini Djalal, Jakarta – Luxury resorts across the country were inspected, as were fancy restaurants and race tracks, the favourite haunts of the youngest son of former President Suharto, 38-year-old Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra. Family retreats have been under scrutiny, their closets and cabinets searched.

Jakarta – Hundreds of women yesterday staged a rally against a phony recruitment firm that swindled them out of millions of rupiah.

The illegal manpower agency, PT Shaymma based in Lampung province, had promised about 250 women that it would provide jobs for them in Saudi Arabia, providing that they each paid a registration fee of Rp4 million (US$423).

Jakarta – Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI) chairman Muchtar Pakpahan filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro and East Kalimantan Police chief Insp. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar over the recent arrest of the union's top executive in the province.

Pekanbaru – No work! No pay! Thats the message from embattled oil company PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia (CPI) to its striking contract workers in Riau province, central-eastern Sumatra. CPI yesterday warned some 3,000 striking contract workers they will not be paid and there will be no negotiations until they go back to work.

Kanis Dursin, Jakarta – Opposition from civilian politicians is stalling efforts by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid to assert civilian authority over the military, blocking efforts to curb rights abuses and resolve past violations, analysts say.

Jakarta – The Indonesian National Resilience Institute, an institute under the Ministry of Defense, said here Wednesday that the country is facing an imminent collapse and a breakdown of the country seems to be a matter of time.

Lindsay Murdoch in Jakarta and David Lague – The Howard Government will lodge a diplomatic protest after Australia's most senior diplomat in Indonesia, Mr John McCarthy, was attacked yesterday and bailed up for almost an hour by a group of about 20 pro-Jakarta East Timor protesters.

Max Lane, Jakarta – Leaders of the struggle against neo-liberal globalisation here are preparing a major gathering of activists to discuss strategies to stop the imperialist onslaught on the Indonesian economy and people.

Dan Murphy, Jakarta – When a rash of explosions rocks Jakarta, they are the immediate suspects. When mysterious "ninja" killers execute dozens of Muslim scholars in East Java, senior politicians whisper their names. And when aid workers are killed in West Timor, United Nations officials point their way.

Jakarta – The Indonesian government on Wednesday warned that it will get tough against separatist movements in Aceh and Irian Jaya provinces at opposite ends of the far flung archipelago.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Attorney-General's Office has found initial evidence of corruption in four contracts agreed by state oil and gas company Pertamina during the rule of former President Suharto.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – The remains of 24 former communists slaughtered during the massacre of 1966-67 have been recovered from a mass grave in a Javanese forest.

Vaudine England, Jakarta – Giving money and power to more than 350 districts across the country is the only way Indonesia can survive as a nation-state, the Minister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure, Erna Witoelar, said yesterday.

Max Lane, Jakarta – On November 14, six members of the Central Leadership Council of the People's Democratic Party (KPP-PRD) announced the formation of the Democratic Socialist Association (PDS).

Haidir Anwar Tanjung/ Hendra & PT, Jakarta – It is clear that PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia's luck continues to decline. Previously, their oil pumps which are located in the Riau province had been seized and burnt by locals. This time, thousands of contract laborers have staged a strike demanding a hike in their living costs.

Marianne Kearney, Cianjur – West Java has been hit by a wave of brutal killings of shamans, with at least 19 suspected sorcerers being killed by enraged mobs in the past three months.

Jakarta – President Abdurrahman Wahid calls on both electronic and print media to promote truth in their coverage, saying there are media who get paid to spread lies and slanders.

Jakarta – The World Bank yesterday expressed opposition to a reported Indonesian plan to raise rice import tariffs, saying such a move would contradict the government's stated "pro-poor" policy.

Robert Go, Jakarta – With President Abdurrahman Wahid breathing down their necks, the Indonesian authorities have stepped up the hunt for former strongman Suharto's youngest son. They plan to seize his properties throughout Jakarta and subpoena his wife to testify on Monday.

Jakarta – Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto lashed out on Friday at bickering civilian politicians, who he said were grabbing power with utter disregard of the negative repercussions for the nation.

Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – President Abdurrahman Wahid flew back to Jakarta this week into stormy weather that has nothing to do with the arrival of the monsoon season. Members of Indonesia's elite are stepping up their attacks on the 60-year-old President amid behind-the-scenes manoeuvring to unseat him.

Jakarta – In the latest blow to Indonesia's shaky economic recovery, five central bank executives have resigned in a dispute over who should shoulder responsibility for a bungled bailout of the nation's insolvent financial sector.

Muchus BR/Hendra & GB, Sukoharjo – After two days of fruitless negotiations over an increase to Christmas and Ramadhan Bonuses (THR), hundreds of workers of plastic bag and sack producer PT Sami Surya Indah Plastik, Sukoharjo, Central Java, ultimately occupied the Legislative Council (DPRD). They threatened to remain on strike until their demands are fulfilled.

Craig Skehan, Bandar Seri Begawan – Australian Prime Minister John Howard has used talks with Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid in a concerted bid to ease tensions over East Timor through active opposition to independence demands in West Papua.

Jakarta – United States Ambassador to Indonesia Robert Gelbard, who has embroiled in a war of words with ministers in the Jakarta government, has returned here with a message that Washington would like to see a stable Indonesia.

Jakarta – The Golkar party, Indonesia's second largest political party, announced yesterday that it would not support calls by certain MPs for President Abdurrahman Wahid to resign.

Haidir Anwar Tanjung/BI & GB, Pekanbaru – Up to a hundred people from the village of Okura, Bukit Raya sub-district, Pekanbaru, Riau, have set up makeshift tents at the entrance of PT Surya Inti Fariraya. They are picketing the company in order to receive compensation for land that was forcefully taken from them in 1989.

Iwan Triono/Hendra & GB, Jakarta – The Central Leaders' Committee of the People's Democratic Party (KPP-PRD) denied there has been a split in the party. The PRD maintains there was no break-away faction but rather the sacking of six inactive members who then announced the formation of a new organisation: the Socialist Democratic Association (PDS).

Jakarta – Indonesia's economic woes have hit the country's air force. Limiting the flying hours of jet pilots owing to budget shortages, has been blamed for the spate of jet crashes this year.

Makassar – Army Chief Endriartono Sutarto has warned that ongoing calls for secession and independence in some parts of the country could lead to national disintegration.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Grassroots anger with international conglomerates' business practices – making millions from people's land while the people themselves remain poor – is causing disruption to companies across Indonesia and millions of dollars worth of losses.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Foreign companies in Indonesia are concerned that neither local nor central governments can control the anger of aggrieved local people, making their investments very risky.

Jakarta – Former military commander Feisal Tanjung gave the order for the deadly 1996 attack on the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), a former intelligence official implied yesterday.

Former military intelligence chief Lieutenant General Moetojib said the attack of July 27, 1996, was ordered by the commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI).

Yogyakarta – Representatives of 50 student groups and non-governmental organizations here urged Governor Hamengkubuwono X on Monday to take stern measures against members of a Muslim group who raided an AIDS discussion on Saturday night.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Since the economic crisis began, they have become a common sight at almost every major intersection in Indonesia's large cities – singing and dancing and beggar children and teenagers who make a bee-line for the most expensive cars or taxis.

Tom Wright, Jakarta – Indonesian Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab's premature response to an apparent Bush victory in the US presidential election last week showed how much Jakarta wants to see a Republican in the White House.

Jakarta – Rush-hour traffic in downtown Jakarta ground to a halt yesterday as protesters blocked streets, demanding that former President B.J. Habibie and his security chief be prosecuted for the deaths of 10 students two years ago.

Jakarta – Thousands of angry protesters demanding President Abdurrahman Wahid's resignation trashed part of Indonesia's Parliament yesterday.

The demonstrators, some wearing white headbands, smashed lamps and chairs in the lobby of the parliamentary complex. Outnumbered police stood by and the violence only stopped when protest leaders brought the situation under control.

Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – Indonesia's embattled leader has suffered another attack on his presidency when lawmakers called on Mr Abdurrahman Wahid to resign, blaming him for the country's economic woes, and the separatist and ethnic violence rocking the country.

A Dipta Anindita/Hendra & GB, Jakarta – The Socialist Democratic Faction (FDS) of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) led by Budiman Sudjatmiko has formally separated from the PRD after a long-running difference of opinion. FDS members have established a new struggle organisation named the Socialist Democratic Association (PDS).

Jakarta – Former state minister of cooperatives and small and medium enterprises Adi Sasono was elected chairman of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI) at the end of the association's four-day congress on Sunday. He replaces former president B.J. Habibie, who had held the post since the association was established in Malang, East Java, in 1990.

Ingo W – The latest military reshuffle continues the trend to shift former Kostrad officers to the center of power of the Indonesian army (TNI-AD).

Jakarta – More than 10,000 Indonesian students converged at a main flyover in South Jakarta on Monday to commemorate the shooting of seven students there two years ago, causing massive traffic jams along the city's main thoroughfare.

Jakarta – An explosion near a Christian meeting hall in the capital of Indonesia's North Sumatra, Medan, killed one person and seriously injured at least two others, hospital staff said yesterday.