LOCAL PROMINENT FIGURES URGED TO HELP END VIOLENCE IN LAMPUNG By Fardah

Jakarta, Oct 31, 2012 (ANTARA) - At least 14 people were killed in a two-day clash, which was triggered by a trivial issue, involving inhabitants of several villages in Waypanji and Kalianda sub-districts, South Lampung district, Lampung province.

         The clash took place after two native Lampung girls from Agom village, Kalianda sub-district, were reportedly harassed by some young men of Balinese descent from Balinuraga village, Waypanji sub-district, on Sunday (October 28).

E KALIMANTAN EXPECTED TO BECOME STRATEGIC ECONOMIC GROWTH CENTER by Fardah

Jakarta, Oct 29, 2012 (ANTARA) - East Kalimantan is known as a resource-rich province and is one of the best-established mining areas in Indonesia because of its oil, natural gas, coal and gold reserves as well as large forest areas.

        Located on Kalimantan Island, East Kalimantan is the second-largest Indonesian province and has two major cities: Samarinda, which is the capital city and a centre for the timber industry, and Balikpapan, which is considered a petroleum centre because of the large number of oil refineries located there.

TIME FOR INDONESIA'S EXPORTERS TO LOOK FOR NON-TRADITIONAL MARKETS by Fardah

      Jakarta, Oct 25, 2012 (ANTARA) - Amid a decline in Indonesia's exports lately, hope of new potential markets for its export products was indicated, particularly during the Trade Expo Indonesia 2012.

         Trade transactions at the Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2012 were mainly dominated by purchases from buyers from non-traditional countries.

ALL STAKEHOLDERS MUST HELP ADDRESS POVERTY By Fardah

Jakarta, Oct 23, 2012 (ANTARA) - Although no special event was organized during the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17, the government has declared its commitment to reducing the poverty rate.     

    To mark the day themed "Ending the Violence of Extreme Poverty: Promoting Empowerment and Building Peace", representatives of governments and civil society gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to discuss how poverty violates fundamental rights.

INDONESIA MEETS SOME MDG TARGETS DESPITE CHALLENGES by Fardah

     Jakarta, Oct 20, 2012 (ANTARA) - Out of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations, Indonesia has been able to meet at least three despite facing many challenges as the fourth most populous country in the world.
     Having a population of 237 million, Indonesia has been striving hard to overcome problems such as poverty, high infant and maternal mortality rates, gender inequality, and infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDs, malaria and tuberculosis, in its efforts to achieve MDG targets.

INDONESIA REACHES SURPLUS OF TABLE SALT PRODUCTION by Fardah

     Jakarta, Oct 19, 2012 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is a country having sunshine for almost all year long and has the second longest coastline after Canada, which makes it an ideal place for salt production.
      However, domestic production of salt in general has been up and down, while industries in particular have depended on imports for good quality salt for industrial purposes.

INDONESIAN GOVT SEES PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PLAN by Fardah

       Jakarta, Oct 17, 2012 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has claimed that its priority infrastructure development program called the Indonesian Economic Development Acceleration and Expansion Master Plan (MP3EI) 2011-2025 has made a lot of progress after being implemented for just one year.

       "Since it was launched on May 27, 2011, up until July 2012, the MP3EI programme has made a lot of progress. The groundbreakings of 135 projects, with a total investment of more than Rp490 trillion in infrastructure development and real sector, have already been done," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in his state of the nation address before the Parliament, on August 16, 2012, a day before the 67th anniversary of Indonesian independence.

WASHING HANDS SEEN AS CHEAPEST, EASIEST WAY TO SAVE LIVES By Fardah

      Jakarta, Oct 16 (ANTARA) - Indonesia, together with around 70 other countries celebrated the fifth Global Handwashing Day on Monday (October 15) by mobilizing about 750,000 students in 2,147 elementary schools throughout the country to promote washing of hands.

      Washing hands with soap can help avoid diarrhoea, pneumonia and many other diseases that afflict children under the age of five, often causing death. Therefore, the theme for this year`s Global Handwashing Day was "Help More Children Reach Their 5th Birthday".

POLICE, ANTI-GRAFT BODY EXPECTED TO COOPERATE By Fardah

Jakarta, Oct 13, 2012 (ANTARA) - Each time a fiasco occurs involving the National Police (Polri) and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is called upon to mediate and issue clear instructions on both law enforcement agencies` respective tasks.

The latest showdown between the two agencies culminated with police officers entering the KPK office on October 5 (Friday) and trying to arrest Police Commissioner Novel Baswedan, a KPK investigator who handled a vehicle simulator procurement corruption case allegedly involving, among others, a high ranking officer, Inspector General Djoko Susilo.

The police sought to detain Baswedan on October 5 and charged him with the fatal shooting that killed a civilian in Bengkulu, Sumatra, in 2004.

According to police investigation, Baswedan was the head of the Bengkulu police criminal unit at the time and was, therefore, responsible for the action of his men, who shot and killed a suspect following a robbery incident.

As the police officers arrived at the KPK building to question Novel Baswedan, hundreds of people flocked to the KPK offices to express support for Baswedan.

Indonesia Striving To Be More child-friendly by Fardah

      Jakarta, Oct 8, 2012  (ANTARA News) - Around 30 percent or 83 million of Indonesia`s total population of 245 million people are children who are considered potent for Indonesia`s future.
       Children are the future of the nation. Therefore, they need to be nurtured and protected. And any negligence while rearing them is bound to have dire consequences for the nation`s future.

ARTIFICIAL RAINS BEING CONSIDERED TO PUT OUT FOREST FIRES by Fardah

      Jakarta, Oct 4. 2012 (ANTARA) - Forest fires have hit several provinces in Indonesia over the past few months and produced haze that has had an effect on air traffic as well as local people`s health.

       Indonesia is currently experiencing drought, particularly in Lampung, Banten, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), East Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) and West Papua, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBN).