Indonesia

Indonesia renames Buddha Bar after protests

Indonesia renames Buddha Bar after protestsJakarta  - The Indonesian outlet of the hip Paris-based Buddha Bar said Wednesday that it had changed its name after protests by Buddhists who complained that the name was sacrilegious.

The restaurant and lounge has been renamed Bataviasche Kunstkring after the Dutch-era building that houses it after a request from the Religious Affairs Ministry, manager Henry Marheroso said.

"There's been no change in concept or design because there's no regulation banning it," Marheroso said.

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Australia captures another refugee boat

AustralianSydney - An Indonesian fishing boat carrying 32 male asylum seekers was intercepted Wednesday off Australia's west coast.

It was the seventh boat to arrive so far this year, the same number of boats that arrived in the whole of 2008.

The men were taken aboard HMAS Wollongong and are being transported to Australia's Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island for processing.

Indonesian court jails four militants over murder, attack plots

Indonesian court jails four militants over murder, attack plotsJakarta - An Indonesian court on Tuesday sentenced four Islamic militants to between four and 12 years in jail over the murder of a Christian teacher and a plot to bomb a cafe.

Judges at the South Jakarta District Court sentenced Abdurrahman Taib and Ki Agus Muhammad Toni to 12 years in jail.

A separate bench jailed Anis Sugandi and Sukarso Abdillah for five and four years, respectively, for being accessories to acts of terrorism.

Indonesian shares fall nearly 2 per cent

Indonesian shares fall nearly 2 per centJ

Indonesia to extradite suspected people smuggler to Australia

Kevin Rudd Sydney - An alleged people smuggler accused of ferrying more than 900 asylum seekers to Australia is to be extradited from Indonesia to face court in Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Tuesday.

Hadi Ahmadi, a dual Iraqi-Iranian national, is believed to have arranged the dispatch of four boats to Australia in 2001.

"This action further demonstrates the absolute importance for cooperation between the Australian and Indonesian governments in dealing with the scourge of people smugglers," Rudd said.

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