Twenty academics from Indonesia and Australia will intensify cooperation on priority governance issues in an Australian-funded research program, the Australian Embassy said Tuesday.

“By working in partnership, leading minds from Australia and Indonesia can support policy development in Indonesia and work towards addressing governance concerns, ” Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said in a statement.

The priority issues are climate change and food security, public financial reporting, local political parties in Aceh, insurance and social security, forest management and district-level lawmaking, according to the statement.

Those who will be involved in the joint-research program include senior government officials, heads of international organizations, also representatives from universities, policy think tanks and the media.

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Website: http://jakartaforum.blogspot.com/2009/12/indonesia-australia-academics-cooperate.html

Japan’s government on Tuesday unveiled a new stimulus package worth nearly $81 billion to keep the fragile recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy from veering off track. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his Cabinet agreed to 7.2 billion yen ($80.6 billion) in new spending after days of negotiations with coalition partners. The announcement had been expected on Friday but was delayed by disagreements. The package is Hatoyama’s first major policy deal since his Democratic Party swept into power this summer promising help for workers and families. Since then, the country’s economic turnaround has been under threat from intensifying deflation and a strong yen. After enduring its worst recession since World War II, Japan’s economy grew…

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Website: http://jakartaforum.blogspot.com/2009/12/japan-unveils-new-81-billion-stimulus.html

Several gas stations located in Jakarta green areas have been closed for a week. Kompas.com reported one gas station on Jl. Sumenep, two on Jl. Kwitang, and one in front of Ciptomangunkusumo Hospital were among those no longer serving customers. “We have not received any fuel supplies since Oct. 20, ” Kantiman, a gas station employee on Jl. Sumenep, said. A buyer had bought the gas station assets and the money from the sale would be used to pay the 12 gas station employees, he added. Earlier on Monday, the head of the Jakarta park and cemetery agency, Ery Baskoro, said he had sent a letter to state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina to stop supplying fuel to 27 gas stations in green areas and Pertamina had agreed to do so. The measure is part…

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