PLANNED DISTRIBUTION OF FREE CONDOMS DRAWS CRITICISM by Fardah

Jakarta, June 29, 2012 (ANTARA) - A plan to distribute free condoms to fight HIV/AIDS by the health ministry has been criticized by a number of parties, including Muslim scholars and some legislators.

Recently, hundreds of members of Muslim mass organization Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) staged a rally protesting the new condom policy, which is alleged to encourage adultery.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS BEING CONSIDERED FOR POST-2015 MDGs by Fardah

         Jakarta, June 25, 2012 (ANTARA) - As the 2015 deadline for the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approaches, the United Nations (UN) is gearing up for higher targets for the next 20 years by appointing a small high-level team to handle the task.

        UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has asked Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to co-chair a team called "High Level Panel of Eminent Persons" to work on the post-2015 MDG framework.

Sail Morotai To Revive WW II General Mac Arthur Memories by Fardah

   Jakarta, June 23, 2012 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to attend the main ceremony at the international maritime event Sail Morotai on Morotai Island, North Maluku Province, on September 15, 2012.

        The date was picked not by accident, as it has historical significance.  On 15 September, 1944, Allied Forces from the USA and Australia, under the leadership of US Supreme Commander for the West Pacific, General Douglas MacArthur, landed on Morotai's southwest corner, where the Japanese had constructed an airstrip, but later abandoned it in favor of the island of Halmahera to the south.

GOVT URGED TO TIGHTEN GUN CONTROL TO CURB ARMED-RELATED VIOLENCE by Fardah

 Jakarta, June 21 (ANTARA) - Armed robberies and shooting incidents have been reported in Jakarta and other provinces, particularly in Papua and Aceh, over the past few months and this has prompted the security authorities to intensify investigations and street patrols. 

From January to June 2012, the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, known as Metro Jaya, reported 32 armed robberies of mini-markets operating 24 hours in the capital city alone.

RHINO INTERNATIONAL YEAR EXPECTED TO BOOST GLOBAL COOPERATION by Fardah

Jakarta, June 20, 2012 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the leader of one of the world`s most diverse countries, is scheduled to attend the Rio+20 (United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development), in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which will be held from June 20-22.

The Rio+20 conference will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which was held in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa.

GOVT TRYING TO "BRING PAPUA IN HARMONY WITH UNITARY STATE OF INDONESIA" by Fardah

Jakarta, June 19, 2012 (ANTARA) - The situation in Jayapura city, in particular, and Papua Province, in general, seems to be peaceful, after being hit by random shooting incidents committed by unknown people.
Police personnel and military troops, however, are still stationed at several spots in Jayapura.

The security situation was quite worrying last weekend following the death of Mako Tabuni, one of the coordinators of the National Committee for West Papua. Some mourners went on a crime spree, burning shops, cars and other motor vehicles, as well as torturing people in Waena, Jayapura.

INDONESIANS REPATRIATED FROM SYRIA CAUTIOUSLY by Fardah

Jakarta, June 12, 2012 (ANTARA) - The Arab Spring has continued to affect Indonesia indirectly, as over 12,000 Indonesians, mostly migrant workers are still trapped in the violence-ravaged Syrian towns of Homs, Hama, and Allepo.

In 2011, Indonesia was busy evacuating thousands of its citizens from Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen - the Arab countries that saw popular uprisings, known as the Arab Spring or Arab Awakening.

GOVT IMPLEMENTS ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES by Fardah

Jakarta, June 8, 2012 (ANTARA) - Realising that Indonesia is no longer an oil-rich country, the government has implemented a number of energy efficiency measures, particularly aimed at reducing the consumption subsidised oil and preventing budget deficits.

Cutting down on subsidised oil consumption became crucial after the government`s failure to increase fuel prices; else, the country would face a huge deficit in the amended state budget.

SAR EFFORTS END, WHILE SUKHOI CRASH INVESTIGATION BEGINS by Fardah

Jakarta, June 4, 2012  (ANTARA) - The search and rescue efforts with regard to the Sukhoi Superjet 100 victims` remains and the ill-fated aircraft`s wreckage were declared to be completed, after the finding of the plane`s flight data recorder (FDR) on May 30 and the transferring of the victims` remains to their families on May 23, 2012.

"As we have found the FDR, I declare that the evacuation process is completed. Concerning the plane`s debris, I leave it to the Sukhoi company," the chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Vice Marshal Daryatmo, stated at Halim Perdanakusuma air force base, East Jakarta, on May 31, 2012.