RI PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO INDIA DEMONSTRATES HIGHER LEVEL BILATERAL TIES by Fardah

     Jakarta, Jan 25, 2011 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is paying a three-day state visit to India from January 24 to 26, 2011, his second state visit to the South Asian giant since November 2005 aimed at taking strategic partnership to a higher level.
       Yudhoyono, the first Head of State or Government to pay an official or state visit to India in 2011, will be the Chief Guest at India`s Republic Day celebrations, demonstrating the close ties between the two world`s most populated countries.

ASEAN STRIVES TO BECOME SINGLE TOURIST DESTINATION By Fardah

      Jakarta, Jan 22, 2011 (ANTARA) - West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) scenic Island of Lombok hosted an ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat on January 15-17, 2011 which was participated in by foreign ministers from 10 ASEAN member nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, The Philippines, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos.
     The meeting was preceded by several other ASEAN meetings including the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting and Media Workshop on "Indonesia and ASEAN Community 2015".

"SAIL WAKATOBI-BELITONG 2011" TO EXPOSE RI'S OTHER PARADISES by Fardah

     Jakarta, Jan 21, 2011 (ANTARA) - Many foreign tourists are quite familiar with Bali Island, while Indonesia actually has some more paradise islands, and two of them will be exposed during "Sail Wakatobi-Belitong 2011".

     "Sail Wakatobi-Belitong (SWB) 2011" is expected to promote investment and tourism in Wakatobi and Belitong in particular, according to Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad.

RI PROJECTED TO BECOME GLOBAL SEAWEED PRODUCER By Fardah

      Jakarta, Jan 17, 2011 (ANTARA) - Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad has the ambition not only to turn Indonesia into a top global fish supplier but also the world`s biggest seaweed producer.
      Indonesia is striving to produce 10 million tons of seaweed per by 2015, making it the number one producing country, replacing the Philippines.

2011 - INDONESIA'S YEAR OF ASEAN by Fardah

       Jakarta, Jan 13, 2011 (ANTARA) - No, the Indonesian government has never declared 2011 the Year of ASEAN, but as this year`s chairman of ASEAN, Indonesia has committed itself to focusing on promoting ASEAN outward and inward significantly.

      Indonesia`s theme for its chairmanship is "ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations".

EXPLORING SEA FLOOR TO CEMENT RI-US SCIENCE COOPERATION by Fardah

     Jakarta, Jan 8, 2011 (ANTARA) - US President Barack Obama when visiting Indonesia in November 2010, said that the US government was sincerely striving to cooperate with the Muslim world through various approaches, including science cooperation with Indonesia.
     He and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono formalized a new Comprehensive Partnership agreement between the US and Indonesia in Jakarta, on November 9, 2010.

WHILE PARLIAMENT GOES INTO RECESS, CONTROVERSY ON NEW BUILDING PROJECT DRAGS ON By Fardah

        Jakarta, April 9, 2011 (ANTARA) - Indonesian lawmakers might be relaxing right now as the House of Representatives (DPR) as of Saturday (April 9) has gone into recess amidst a controversy regarding their plan to construct a 36-story new parliament building.
        In a consultative meeting held on Thursday (April 7), the DPR decided to go ahead with the plan to construct the new tower despite objections from some factions, and more importantly from a number of NGOs and ordinary people.

RI ENTERS 2011 CAUTIOUS OVER NATURAL DISASTERS by Fardah

       Jakarta, Jan 5, 2011 (ANTARA) - Less than a week into the new year of 2011, floods have been reported happening in several cities in Indonesia claiming a four-year old girl`s life in Madura, East Java.
      Four fishermen were drowned in a climate-related sea accident in Jepara waters, Central Java, last Tuesday (Jan 4), two of them were found dead, and the two others were still missing.