IN OCTOBER ALONE, INDONESIA HIT BY THREE NATURAL DISASTERS By Fardah

      Jakarta, Oct 30, 2010 (ANTARA) - The Earth is getting older, judging by the increased frequency of natural disasters in the world lately, especially in Indonesia.
      During this October alone, parts of the country have been seriously affected by three major disasters. The first one was a flash flood in Wasior, West Papua Province, on October 3.

POLEMICS ON HERO STATUS FOR SOEHARTO DRAG ON By Fardah

       Jakarta, Oct 25, 2010 (ANTARA) - A public controversy on the nomination of former president Soeharto for national hero status has been heating up over the past one month.
      As pros and cons have continued to drag on, Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al-Jufri recently explained that proposals to award the national hero title to certain people had not come from the government but from the people.

CENTURY-OLD PALM OIL INDUSTRY STILL BUSY FACING 'NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNS' By Fardah

      Jakarta, Oct 23, 2010 (ANTARA) - Entering the 100th anniversary of the palm oil industry in Indonesia, the world`s largest palm oil producing country, is still preoccupied with responses to anti-palm oil expansion campaigns launched by environmental NGOs.
       A celebration to be highlighted with a number of events such seminars, exhibitions, sports tournaments and charity, will be organized in Medan, North Sumatra, on March 28-30, 2011.
      And the most important, the event will also be used as an opportunity to correct `public misconceptions` on negative impacts of oil palm plantations on the environment.

FINALLY, NATION TALKS ABOUT HERO NOMINATION FOR SOEHARTO by Fardah

        Jakarta, Oct 18, 2010 (ANTARA) - Prayers to observe the 1000 days of the demise of former President Soeharto will be organized in five different places on October 22, 2010.
       By accident, Soeharto has been frequently mentioned in the media following a proposal on rewarding the national hero status to ten people including Soeharto.
       Since his death on January 27, 2008, there have been rarely any news proposing him to receive national hero tittle, as the nation is quite divided in seeing Soeharto.

GOVT TACKLING WASIOR FLOOD DISASTER ALL OUT By Fardah

       Jakarta, Oct 9, 2010 (ANTARA) - The attention of all government officials, from the head of state to ordinary search and rescue officers, is now focused on Wasior, West Papua Province (about 3,500 km from Jakarta), where a flash flood last Sunday (Oct 3) has wreaked lethal havoc.
       According to the latest data, the flash flood killed 124 people, left 123 others missing, 185 seriously, and 535 persons lightly injured.