Govt not green says House legislator
JAKARTA: Increasing pollution and environmental damage in the country has been blamed on the government's poor awareness of environmental issues.
House of Representatives legislator M. Askin told a discussion on Tuesday that the next president should empower the state minister of the environment to make amends for the poor record.
Askin said the government had so far shown greater interest in the economy than the environment. -- Antara
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RI wins gold at physics meet
JAKARTA: Indonesia -- represented by five senior high school students from Jakarta -- won on Tuesday a gold medal at the 17th International Young Physicists Tournament (IYPT) in Brisbane, Australia, which is underway until Thursday.
Aldi Indra and Sandy Pratama from BPK Penabur 1 Christian high school, Wendy Siman from Tarakanita 2 high school, Abdullah Rasmita from SMU 8 state high school 8 and Muhammad Zuhdi from SMU 37 state high school comprised the second Indonesian team to take part in the competition.
Last year's event was held in Upsalla, Sweden. -- JP
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Terror suspect denies charges
JAKARTA: Defendant Husni Rijal alias Ilham Sopandi denied on Tuesday his involvement in terrorist activities and his knowledge of the identity of fellow suspect and brother of Riduan Ishamuddin alias Hambali, Rusman Gunawan.
"I am just a student, who was arrested due to my friendship with Gun Gun (Rusman)," Husni said, in his defense at the Central Jakarta District Court.
Husni said that knew Gun Gun as the two attended the same university, in Karachi, Pakistan, but he had known him only by his alias, Abdul Hadi. Only after his capture -- along with Gun Gun and four other students -- did it become clear that Gun Gun was Hambali's sibling.
Prosecutors also charged Husni with the use of a fake identity card and passport under the name Ilham Sopandi. Husni said it was his nickname as a student at the Islamic boarding school al- Mukmin, in Sukoharjo, Central Java -- which was run by alleged JI spiritual leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir. -- JP
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Three foreigners expelled from Aceh
BANDA ACEH, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam: The Aceh Provincial Immigration Office deported on Tuesday two Malaysians and an American for entering the restricted province of Aceh without proper immigration and security documents.
Imron Zubandi, an official at the immigration office, said on Tuesday that the two Malaysians -- Ong Kung Wai and Jumat bin Madjid -- were business consultants, while Sean Blanchet, was a student.
Following the declaration of martial law in Aceh last year, the Aceh Immigration Office severely restricted foreigners from entering unless they had special permits from the martial law administrator and immigration office. Martial law has been lifted recently and Aceh is now under a civil emergency administration, but the curtailment of foreign and domestic tourists, businesspeople, rights workers, journalists and students, is still in effect. -- JP
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No mercy for drug dealers: President
MANADO, North Sulawesi: President Megawati Soekarnoputri underlined on Monday that she would never grant clemency to convicted drugs dealers, saying they posed too great a danger to the nation's young.
Over 20 drugs dealers are now on death row after Megawati rejected all of their requests for clemency.
The President also called on the public to join the fight against drugs, warning that drug use was also one of the major causes for the spread of HIV/AIDS. -- Antara