-
![Shia Muslims open bags of donated clothing at a sports facility in Sampang city on Madura Island, East Java. Over 200 Shia Muslims are being temporarily housed there after a Sunni Muslim mob burned their houses to the ground on Sunday (August 26th). [Photos by Mulya Waskita/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/31/120831_MICHAEL_ID_SAMPANGSH-150_100.jpg)
East Java's governor has vowed to prosecute perpetrators after the second attack on a Shia community in nine months.
-
![A couple hold hands as they walk along a jetty in Kuala Lumpur on October 12th, 2009. Malaysia's eastern state of Terengganu is offering free honeymoons to rekindle romance between married couples on the brink of divorce. [Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/08/30/120830_GRACE_MY_MARRIAGE-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-30
Malaysia moves to bolster marriage
As divorce rates climb, Malaysian institutions offer couples premarital counseling and second honeymoons. Activists, meanwhile, argue that only divorce granted in court should be considered valid.
-
![High school students celebrate the ending of the four-day national exams in Medan, North Sumatra province on April 19th, 2012. Experts are urging Indonesia to implement a deradicalisation curriculum in schools, seen as an ideal place for extremists to find new recruits.[Roni Bintang/Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/08/29/120829_PRIMA_ID_RADICALISAT-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-29
Indonesia needs more deradicalisation programmes in order to combat extremist ideologues who seek to lure young people into their ranks, analysts say.
-
![Adi Sumarmo airport in Surakata has been flooded with overseas workers returning home for Idul Fitri, authorities say. [Yenny/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/28/120828_YENNY_ID_TKI_VG-150_100.jpg)
Airports are crowded before and after the Idul Fitri holiday as overseas workers return to be with their families. Not all plan to go back abroad.
-
![Essy Purwaningtyas (second from left) and other students from the State University of Yogyakarta display rabbits from the programme they helped start to empower disabled people in Karangpatihan village in Ponorogo, East Java. [Yenny Herawati/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/27/120827_YENNY2_ID_RABBITFARM-150_100.jpg)
University students hope rabbit faming will bring nutrition, income and independence to disabled people in East Java's Ponorogo Regency.
-
![A family in Batumerah, Ambon, Indonesia tries to flee floodwaters August 1st. Thousands of homes in Ambon, Maluku were flooded and washed away due to the overflow of several rivers on the island of Ambon. The flood caused 13 deaths and displaced 6,179 people. [Photos by Petrus Oratmangun/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/25/120825_PETRUS1_ID_FLOOD_VG-150_100.jpg)
Floods in Ambon caused at least 13 deaths and displaced thousands. Locals have set aside lingering conflicts and are focusing on humanitarian efforts to help others.
-
![Madiun Islamic leaders met for a second time on August 20th to discuss security during UIdul Fiti. [Yenny Herawati/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/24/120824_YENNY1_ID_ALERT_VG-150_100.jpg)
Muslim leaders in Madiun are calling on local residents to practice silaturahmi (friendship) as a way of defusing tensions and ensuring security during Idul Fitri.
-
![Thai police released this photograph of suspected insurgent Sagareeya Masang, 22, of Korlum subdistrict, who died in an apparent bomb blast at a Pattani coconut plantation. His father, Meulee Masang, was informed of his son's death by friends from his school. [Photo courtesy of Panare District Police]](/shared/images/2012/08/24/120824-STEPHEN_TH_PIECES1-150_100.jpg)
As a young man apparently recruited by insurgents meets a grisly end, police warn local parents about the dangers of recruitment and brainwashing by militant groups.
-
![Muslims in Yala greet and congratulate each other on the arrival of the tenth lunar month and express repentance for any past misdeeds. [Ahmad Ramansiriwong/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/23/120823_AHMAD_TH_IDUL1-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-23
Despite a spate of insurgent violence in the Deep South, Muslims in Yala came together to celebrate Idul Fitri in a spirit of joy.
-
![Indonesia's Greysia Poli (rear right) and Meiliana Jauhari play against South Korean opponents during the 2012 Olympic Games on July 31st. The World Badminton Federation charged the pair and six other athletes with misconduct on August 1st for attempting to throw matches to secure a more favourable spot later in the tournament. [Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/08/22/120822_YAMKO_ID_BADMINTON-150_100.jpg)
London 2012 was bitter medicine for fans used to Olympic glory in badminton. But questions are now being asked whether the Indonesian team's failure lies with the athletes, or with the tournament format?
-
![Family members reunite August 16th after 100 people were released from correctional facilities in Yala and Betong. The releases were part of a nationwide Royal Pardon in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's birthday. [Photos by Maluding Tido/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/21/120821-STEPHEN_TH_YALARELEASE1-150_100.jpg)
As Thailand's Queen Sirikit marks her 80th birthday, prisoners benefit from a Royal Pardon.
-
![Nurkholis, an Islamic leader in Madiun, strongly condemned the bombing in Surakarta during the Muslim celebration. The picture above captures Nurkholis speaking in front of devotees during an Idul Fitri prayer on August 20th, 2012. [Yenny/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/21/120821_YENNY1_ID_BOMBSURAKA-150_100.jpg)
A bomb rattles residents of Surakarta, prompting a sharp rebuke from religious leaders across different faiths.
-
![Rukmiyati, 34, and her customers do a money transaction on Jalan Gajah Mada in Central Jakarta on August 14th. Despite the fee charged, many Indonesians visit street peddlers to exchange their large bank notes for small ones for gift giving on Idul Fitri.[Elisabeth Oktofani/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/20/120816_FANI_ID_BANKNOTES_VG-150_100.jpg)
Small gifts of money make Idul Fitri sweet for youngsters. Many Jakarta residents get their small change for a small fee on the street, though some frown on such businesses.
-
![Travelers wait for a train on one of Tanah Abang Station's platforms that will take them back to their hometowns. An estimated 16 million people will be returning to their hometowns during this year's Lebaran holiday. [Zahara/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/18/120817_ZAHARA_ID_MUDIK_VG-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-18
The culture of returning home for Idul Fitri celebration is shared by all Muslims
-
![Children march through the streets carrying torches to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the start of Idul Fitri celebrations in Jakarta on August 30th, 2011. This year both Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah Muslims will likely celebrate the event on the same day. [Supri/Reuters].](/shared/images/2012/08/18/120816_PENNA_ID_UNITE_VG-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-18
Astronomer says Indonesian Muslims are likely to celebrate the end of Ramadan on the same day, after they were divided on when to start the fasting month in July.
-
![A man recites the Qur'an at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta on July 24th. With some mosques appearing to compete with each other, the volume of loudspeakers is generating public debate. [Beawiharta/Reuters].](/shared/images/2012/08/17/120817_PRIMA_ID_LOUDSPEAKER-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-17
During Ramadan, the Qur'an recital and the call to prayer get longer – and the volume higher.
-
![Students from Mercu Buana University gather in front of the National Monument (Monas), Jakarta's famous landmark, to celebrate Ramadan with 'sahur on the road'. They chip in to buy food to distribute to homeless people, beggars and night-shift workers in the city streets. [Zahara Tiba/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/16/120816_ZAHARA_ID_SAHUR_VG-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-16
For most Indonesian Muslims, Ramadan is synonymous with doing good deeds. Students are responding by giving free meals to those in need through a tradition called "sahur on the road".
-
![Café de'Most in South Jakarta (right) sits dark and empty two weeks after it was raided by a hardline Muslim group. Police sealed the café for serving alcohol during Ramadan – but also charged 23 people in the July 29th attack. [Elisabeth Oktofani/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/15/120815_FANI_ID_RAID-150_100.jpg)
A hardline group that raided a bar in late July recruited local teens for the illegal attack. Two of them now face prison time.
-
![Retired civil servant Suchat -E-la volunteers at Radchanakarin Hospital in his native Narathiwat province. Fluent both in Thai and in Yawi (Thai Muslim Malay), Suchat assists communication between patients and doctors. [Bas Pattani/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/14/120814-PATTANI_TH_SUCHAT1-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-14
Narathiwat hospital's "Ayor" prepares for Hajj
Locals know Suchat-E-la as the friendly volunteer who helps patients deal with the language barrier at a hospital where most doctors speak Thai. Now, in appreciation for his efforts, the hospital is funding his pilgrimage to Mecca.
-
![Mohammad Istiqamah Djamad of the band Payung Teduh performs July 28th at the Ramadan Jazz Festival at Cut Metiah Mosque in Jakarta. [Photos courtesy of jazzuality.com]](/shared/images/2012/08/13/120813-FANI_ID_JAZZ_DJAMAD-150_100.jpg)
Producers of the Ramadan Jazz Festival say music can be a form of preaching, reaching out to young people, and showing them that mosques can be cool.
-
![Residents of the Kartoharjo subdistrict in Madiun, East Java attend a July 20th event held by churches in the area. Basic food supplies and free medical treatment were given to community members in need, regardless of religion, to mark the start of Ramadan. [Yenny Herawati/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/11/120811_YENNY1_ID_RAMADANSEM-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-11
Religious leaders say the offering of free food and medical service promotes communal harmony and even healing in a region still scarred by its past.
-
![The chief of Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi /KPK), Abraham Samad, speaks at a January news conference about corruption cases in Indonesia. Young people are increasingly using social media to call for good governance and an end to graft and fraud. [Supri/Reuters].](/shared/images/2012/08/10/12810_YAMKO_ID_CHECKBALANCE-150_100.jpg)
Young men and women have become torch-bearers for the prevention and eradication of corruption.
-
![Malaysian tourists Victual and Philip, who spent three days in Hat Yai on their way back home, said they didn't feel worried about their visit. [Thongchai Naranode/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/09/120809_STEPHEN_TH_HATYAI1-150_100.jpg)
Vacant hotel rooms are starting to be filled and sales are picking up again as the resort town overcomes the fear caused by a March terror attack.
-
![Yogyakarta Mayor Haryadi Suyuti (centre, wearing a black cap) enjoys the atmosphere of the Ramadan seasonal market at Kampong Jogokaryan, Yogyakarta on July 20th. [Arunglantara/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/08/120808_YUDAH_ID_SEASONALJOB-150_100.jpg)
Ironically, the fasting month is a time of festive food offerings. Students, housewives, and city officials see economic opportunity in the seasonal markets.
-
![Since 1959, the Al-Muqarrabien Mosque and the Sangihe Talaud Mahanaim Christian Gospel Church have stood side by side in tolerance in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta. The congregations and people living in the area profess a peaceful co-existence.[Yenny Herawati/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/07/120807_YENNY1_ID_CHURCHMOSQ-150_100.jpg)
Hymn of praise and call to prayer mingle without conflict in this part of Tanjung Priok where church and mosque co-exist as neighbours.
-
![Indonesian journalist and media entrepreneur Erwin Arnada speaks at the Jakarta premiere of his movie "Rumah di Seribu Ombak" (Home of a Thousand Waves) on July 15th. Set to hit the movie houses in August, the film promotes religious tolerance and calls for child protection. [Pradipta Lakshmi/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/06/120806_PRADIPTA_ID_MOVIE1_VG-150_100.jpg)
-
![Many Muslims in Thailand's Deep South flock to municipal markets – such as this one in Yala -- for traditional foods like dates eaten before or after dusk during Ramadan. The markets also sell the kapiyoh worn by men to mark the month of fasting and abstinence. Amid an upsurge in insurgent violence, Muslim leaders have called for a reinforcement of the core teachings of compassion and equality in Islam. [Tido Budong/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/04/120804-STEPHEN_TH_PEACE2-150_100.jpg)
A spate of attacks has raised anxieties as Muslims in the Deep South observe Ramadan.
-
![Rows of stalls line a street in Kuala Lumpur during the fasting month of Ramadan in 2009. Crowds throng the bazaars to buy food and shop during the Muslim holy month. [Zainal Abd Halim/Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/08/03/120803_ANNIE_MY_RAMADAN-150_100.jpg)
2012-08-03
Ramadan brings amity and harmony in Malaysia
Malaysian Muslims describe the holy month as a time for reflection and devotion, compassion and forgiveness; a time to share with family, friends and the less fortunate
-
![At a July 24th meeting, members of the Independent Women's Forum (FPM) in Jombang, East Java share their experiences of domestic violence. The forum provides a place for women to support one another and learn entrepreneurial skills. [Michael Watopa/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/02/120802_MICHAEL_ID_KDRT_VG-150_100.jpg)
Victims of domestic violence in Jombang find sympathetic listeners and learn new skills at the Independent Women's Forum (FPM).
-
![Two elderly women rest on a stoop in Kampung Pertanian Tengah in East Jakarta. The slum area is popularly known as Kampung Pengemis or Beggars' Village. Every Ramadan, it hosts seasonal beggars who come to Jakarta and other major cities seeking alms. [Zahara/Khabar].](/shared/images/2012/08/01/120801_ZAHARA_ID_BEGGARS_VG-150_100.jpg)
Efforts to practice charity during Islam's holy month can mean easy money for itinerants who flock to neighbourhoods around the capital.
-
![The fair showcased goods produced around the Deep South. [Oracha Petchkasem/Khabar]](/shared/images/2012/08/01/120801-STEPHEN_TH_FAIR1-150_100.jpg)
Food, decorative items, garments and soaps are among the local products featured at a recent fair in Hat Yai, coming nearly four months after a deadly terrorist bomb dampened the local tourism industry.
![Iranians sit on a boat at Denspar's Benoa port on May 12th, 2013. They were among 95 asylum seekers from Iran arrested by Indonesian marine police while sailing through nearby Badung strait. [Sonny Tumbelaka/AFP]](/shared/images/2014/02/15/140215_ANDHIKA_SAMUEL_IRANIAN_VISA_VG1-100_67.jpg)
![Indonesia's Election Supervisory Committee (Bawaslu) opens a Jakarta forum involving religious leaders January 22nd. [Yenny Herawati/Khabar]](/shared/images/2014/02/14/140214_YENNY_MUSLIM_VOTING_VG1-100_67.jpg)
![Imlek Festival goers in Solo celebrate the Chinese New Year. The festival went from January 23rd through January 29th. [Yenny Herawati/Khabar]](/shared/images/2014/02/13/140205_YENNY_ID_IMLEX_VG1-100_67.jpg)
![Opposition forces prepare to storm the headquarters of the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant fighters in Aleppo, Syria on January 7th. Indonesian jihadists are among 8,000 foreigners fighting in the Syrian civil war. [Medo Halab/AFP]](/shared/images/2014/02/12/140203_ISMIRA_OKKY_ID_SYRIAN_JIHADIST_RETURNED_VG1-100_67.jpg)
![Typhoon Haiyan survivors prepare to board Australian and US C-130 aircraft departing storm-ravaged Tacloban on November 18th. [Photo courtesy of US Marines]](/shared/images/2013/11/26/131126-FORUM_TYPHOON2PE1_PP-270_180.jpg)