Indonesia

On his trip to Indonesia last week, President Obama took pains to reiterate the fact that America is at war with violent extremists who commit terrorist acts, not with the religion of Islam. It was a point that, to his credit, Mr. Obama's predecessor, former President George W. Bush, also frequently stressed. But coming from an American leader who had spent a good part of his childhood in Indonesia, whose 203 million adherents make it the most populous Muslim country in the world, Mr. Obama's words clearly had special significance.

How cute is this??? This is Damai, a two-week-old orangutan, a baby girl. Her name means peace.  She's being cared for at the Surabaya Zoo nursery in Indonesia because her mother refused to do it.

In the latest Amazing Race, teams get the heck out of Taiwan so they can get down in Indonesia. With two eliminations coming up, who will survive? And who will think of the children? Since the Taiwan-to-Indonesia air route isn't too popular, all the teams bunch up on the same flight. Then they take the same overnight train, and finally splinter off during the Great Taxi Race to a remote cave. The spread during the taxi race seems to follow the teams throughout the episode, which is how Grandma and Grandpa pull themselves out of last place, even with a rope-untangling speed bump.

In the latest adventures of "Phil's Amazing Race," we learn historical facts about Indonesia, helpful things to say when you faceplant in a rice paddy and the fact that you can't call yourself prepared if you don't have a spare bicycle pedal in your backpack. Indonesia is made up of approximately 17,000 islands. I'm not joking for exaggeration, either. I can't joke about it; my mind is too boggled. Here's another fact about Indonesia: it was colonized by the Dutch 300 years ago. I don't think there are enough Dutch people to colonize 17,000 islands, so I'll assume that they colonized maybe five islands and called it good.

TURMOIL IN INDONESIA is surging onto American radar screens in Washington, D.C., and at the U.S. Pacific Command's headquarters in Hawaii, where an officer with access to comprehensive intelligence lamented what he called "a chaotic situation." Particularly troubling are terrorist organizations, notably the Jemaah Islamiyah, despite the arrest of 130 suspects since a bombing in Bali in October 2002 that killed 202 people. The threat of terror, plus other ills, has prevented Indonesia, with the world's largest Muslim population, from emerging as a leader of a moderate Islam that many Muslims - and the United States - would like.

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Abu Bakar Bashir, the militant cleric alleged to be one of Southeast Asia's top terrorist leaders, was freed from prison yesterday after serving 25 months for his role in the bombings of two Bali nightclubs in 2002. Bashir, 67, smiled and waved to more than 100 supporters who had gathered outside Jakarta's Cipinang Prison to witness his release. "God is great," the crowd shouted as he stepped out of the prison gates. Bashir, who has denied any role in terrorist activities, signaled that he would use his freedom to promote the adoption of strict Islamic law in Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population but is among the most moderate Muslim nations.

BANTUL, Indonesia --With as many as 500 people dying each day from injuries they sustained during last Saturday's earthquake, the death toll from the quake has surpassed 6,200, by the count of Indonesian officials, and is likely to continue to rise. More than 46,000 people were injured in the quake and remain alive, 33,000 of them with serious injuries, according to the Indonesian social affairs ministry. Though search and rescue efforts ended Tuesday, John Budd, a spokesman for the U.N. Children's Fund, said yesterday that the huge number of casualties had overwhelmed the area's hospitals.

Solarex of Frederick has landed a $25 million contract to supply household solar electricity units across Indonesia, the company said yesterday.The Indonesian government selected Solarex to supply 36,400 systems throughout the country's 13,500 islands.The units will bring power to areas where central electricity grids will probably never be installed, the company said. Only about 31 percent of Indonesia's households have electricity.The project is part of an aid program funded by the Australian government.

BANGKOK, Thailand -- Less than a month before President Clinton travels to Indonesia for a summit meeting with Asian leaders, human rights groups are warning of a deterioration in human rights there.These include the recent banning of newspapers and magazines, stepped-up harassment of labor activists and new instances of torture by the military and the police.Diplomats and human rights groups say Mr. Clinton's impending visit may be part of the reason the government of President Suharto is eager to silence critics during the meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, which starts in November.

BANGKOK, Thailand - In her first major speech as president of Indonesia, Megawati Sukarnoputri presented the outline of a cure for the country's many problems yesterday, stressing stability, human rights, fiscal responsibility and a battle against corruption. "Our multitude of crises certainly cannot be overcome all at once," she said. "Only by working together can we gradually emerge from this time, which has been very painful for us all." As she did in naming a moderate and professional Cabinet last week, Megawati surprised her critics by taking a workmanlike approach that addressed misgivings people have had about her. When Megawati took office three weeks ago, after the collapse of the Abdurrahman Wahid presidency, her views were largely unknown, though she was a familiar figure in Indonesian public life.

In the latest Amazing Race, teams get the heck out of Taiwan so they can get down in Indonesia. With two eliminations coming up, who will survive? And who will think of the children? Since the Taiwan-to-Indonesia air route isn't too popular, all the teams bunch up on the same flight. Then they take the same overnight train, and finally splinter off during the Great Taxi Race to a remote cave. The spread during the taxi race seems to follow the teams throughout the episode, which is how Grandma and Grandpa pull themselves out of last place, even with a rope-untangling speed bump.

On his trip to Indonesia last week, President Obama took pains to reiterate the fact that America is at war with violent extremists who commit terrorist acts, not with the religion of Islam. It was a point that, to his credit, Mr. Obama's predecessor, former President George W. Bush, also frequently stressed. But coming from an American leader who had spent a good part of his childhood in Indonesia, whose 203 million adherents make it the most populous Muslim country in the world, Mr. Obama's words clearly had special significance.

By the time you read this, Terry Jones will have burned the Quran. Or not. At deadline time, Mr. Jones' so-called "International Burn The Quran Day" — also known as Sept. 11, 2010, the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks — was on hold. He said he'd reached an agreement with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf not to go through with plans to make a bonfire of Qurans if Mr. Rauf would cancel plans to build a mosque near ground zero. Mr. Rauf said this was news to him, whereupon Mr. Jones said he'd now have to "rethink" whether to go ahead with the burning.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Indonesians yesterday that she wants to open a "robust partnership" with their fast-growing country, President Barack Obama's boyhood home. Arriving here on the second stop of her first trip as the top American diplomat, Clinton also announced that the Obama administration intends to sign a treaty moving the U.S. closer to a key regional group, the Association of South East Asian Nations. The Bush administration declined to sign the treaty, a move that critics took as a sign of its lack of interest in the region and preoccupation with the Middle East.

Earthquakes kill three in part of Indonesia JAKARTA, Indonesia : A series of powerful earthquakes killed at least three people in eastern Indonesia today, cutting power lines and badly damaging buildings. A 7.6-magnitude quake struck at 4:43 a.m. local time about 85 miles from Manokwari, Papua, at a depth of 22 miles, the U.S. Geological Agency said. It was followed by a strong 7.5 aftershock. Three bodies were found, including that of a 10-year-old girl, a hospital director said. Nineteen other patients were treated for injuries.

ALI ALATAS, 76 Indonesian diplomat was once considered for top U.N. post Former Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, who had the delicate task of representing Indonesia during an often-brutal dictatorship and was once considered for the top job at the United Nations, died yesterday in Singapore, a week after suffering a stroke. Mr. Alatas was the country's highest-ranking diplomat from 1988 until 1999 - the year after longtime President Suharto was swept from power after a wave of pro-democracy street protests.

In the fall of 2002, the Indonesian island of Bali, once known for its luscious beaches and vibrant Hindu culture, became synonymous with terror and radicalism. After a massive bombing in Bali's nightclub district killed more than 200 people, the world suddenly realized what many locals had known for years: Indonesia, the largest Muslim nation on Earth, faced a serious internal terror threat. Even before the Bali attack, Indonesia had suffered a wave of bombings in the winter of 2000, and earlier that year someone had bombed the Jakarta Stock Exchange.

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- If the production of toxic and hazardous waste is one measure of economic development, then WMX Technologies' foray into Indonesia heralds industry's slow but steady emergence in this still-backward economy.The Oak Brook, Ill.-based disposal firm's international arm early next year will open Southeast Asia's first hazardous-waste landfill about 25 miles from downtown Jakarta. The $20 million landfill is the first phase of a $70 million multiyear project that eventually will include a chemical-treatment facility and a toxic-waste incinerator.