President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that she was growing nervous about the lack of progress at the U.N. Climate Conference in Copenhagen. "I can't conceal the fact that I've become a bit nervous about whether we'll be able to do it," Merkel told a news conference with Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "We all know time is running out and we need to get serious." Delegates from nearly 200 countries are in Copenhagen for the talks to hammer out a deal aimed at slowing global warming. Merkel, who says Germany will commit to reduce greenhouse emissions by 30 percent ... Read Full Story

From Aceh to Bali, Indonesians have donated a truckload of coins in support of a woman jailed for criticising health care provision in an email to friends. In a nationwide cause celebre the money has been gathered to help Prita Mulyasari, 32, pay a fine of 204 million rupiah (21,400 dollars) after she was convicted of defamation by a local court on the outskirts of Jakarta. Indonesians were so touched that volunteers began collecting money on the streets, in offices and in kindergartens and publishing details on the social networking site Facebook, demonstrating how the web can now mobilise people scattered across this vast ... Read Full Story

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called Thursday for reforms to protect the "poor and weak" after the global financial crisis, as he opened a regional democracy forum. "The crisis has forced the world to conduct restructuring that is more democratic. One of the consequences (of the crisis) is the surge in demand for more inclusive growth," he told delegates from more than 20 countries. Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and senior officials from as far afield as Europe and the United States attended the start of the two-day Bali Democracy Forum at a luxury beachside resort. Under the broad theme of "promoting synergy between ... Read Full Story

Thousands of Indonesians rallied Wednesday in several major cities under tight security to mark international anti-corruption day, slamming the government over a bank bailout scandal. Protestors denounced President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the rescue of failed lender Bank Century, which is under parliamentary investigation after the country's top auditor found strong indications of "violations". In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, thousands of protestors clashed briefly with police who fired warning shots and water cannon after being pelted by rocks, an AFP correspondent saw. Photographs of Yudhoyono were torched in Palu, a city in Central Sulawesi province where up to 2,000 protestors gathered. ... Read Full Story

Indonesia will deploy thousands of police to an anti-graft protest on Wednesday after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono warned that unnamed forces could hijack the rally to topple him, a spokesman said. "There will be 10,000 police personnel deployed tomorrow in several spots that will be passed by demonstrators," Jakarta police spokesman Boy Rafli told AFP. Anti-riot police would be among those on hand to suppress any violence. On the eve of the protest, Yudhoyono appealed for people to demonstrate calmly, saying his government was serious about tackling graft. "I urge the people to celebrate the world anti-corruption day tomorrow in an orderly way... In ... Read Full Story