The ongoing construction and expansion in Mecca's Grand Mosque has affected the number of Muslims across the world including Indonesia who are aspiring to perform Hajj this year. But Saudi officials insist the reductions are only temporary.
Residents say they are concerned that radical fundamentalists may be trying to regroup in the area.
Fed up with near-daily violence, local civilians and peace activists came out to demand that militants lay down their arms.
Indonesia has sent more consular staff to Saudi Arabia to assist expatriates who are scrambling to comply with an immigration deadline.
Opportunities abound but worker skills are lagging behind, according to officials.
The Bali Arts Festival – a month of back-to-back performances and exhibits -- sends a message of peace, harmony and tolerance to the world, proud leaders say.
Solo residents march on Isra Wal Mi'iraj to preserve Islamic culture and ponder its true teachings.
The government is paying for child workers to return to school, but the problem is widespread and it could take years before the curse could be finally vanquished.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's recent South Asia tour signals the kingdom's intention to deepen economic and commercial ties with the region.
Rising demand for an education that combines religious teachings with solid academic skills has given rise to Islamic early-development centres.
Activists say they are not against Sharia Law but question the way it is being implemented.
Traditional Indonesian puppetry brings alive timeless stories, with plenty of lessons for contemporary life.
Four months after the violence in Sabah, migrant workers are slowly returning, and suspects are being brought to justice.
Followers of the jailed extremist are angry about his imprisonment and out to stage new attacks, experts say. A suicide bombing last week is being linked to the group.
The government is sending preachers to Thailand and providing scholarships for Thai Muslim students.
Students in a Narathiwat district were outraged by an insurgent attack in their area, which had been relatively free of violence until now.
Indonesia is aiming to bring provinces beyond Java and Bali online at a brisk rate.
Misinterpreting their own religion, militants appear to believe that Islam sanctions armed theft.
Religious leaders say the annual holiday is a time to reflect on core Buddhist values, including non-violence and tolerance for others, while a Muslim cleric voices hope that tensions in Burma will subside.
A Muslim youth group lent its support to an anti-smoking demonstration organised in Jakarta last week.
Police are using Facebook to increase public awareness about the law and cyber-crime, and to foster a closer relationship with citizens.
Bangladesh and Thailand have often been favoured destinations for criminals seeking to evade arrest or prosecution in India. That could become harder, however, because of new extradition treaties signed with both nations.
Religion, economic opportunity and relative stability are big draws for Muslims from other parts of the world, particularly those that have endured conflict.
Indonesian courts still need technical details on how to carry out blocking of funds, a top legal official says.
Critics of a new bylaw say Acehnese authorities are undermining the region's rich culture by imposing restrictions on a traditional dance of welcome.
Don't allow homecoming extremists to import their brand of jihad from Syria, cleric warns.
![Muslim pilgrims perform the noon prayer outside the Namera Mosque in the plain of Arafat on the outskirts of Mecca in October 2012, as part of the annual Hajj. [Fayez Nureldine/AFP].](/shared/images/2013/06/29/130629_OKKY_ID_HAJJ_VG-150_100.jpg)
![Police display homemade bombs, ammunition and weapons at Poso police headquarters on November 2nd, 2012. The items were seized during anti-terror operations two days earlier. In the wake of a June 3rd suicide bombing, Poso residents are more concerned than ever about terrorism in the region. [Achun/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/28/130628_YENNY_ID_POSO-150_100.jpg)
![Narathiwat residents turned out for a peace rally on Saturday (June 22nd), calling for an end to the bloodshed that has spread fear across the Deep South. According to a local peace activist, extremists in the area are revealing themselves as " deviants, disbelievers and religious outcasts". [Rapee Mama/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/27/130627_RAPEE_TH_PEACERALLY-150_100.jpg)
![Indonesian domestic workers raise their hands during a police scrutiny of their eligibility to work abroad, in Bekasi, West Java, on June 22nd, 2011. According to the government, the number of Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia is 1.4 million. [Adek Berry/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/26/130626_OKKY_ID_JEDAH_VGG-150_100.jpg)
![Thousands of job seekers stand in line at a job fair in Jakarta in September 2012. A similar event held June 10th-13th in Pekanbaru offered more than 9,000 openings. [Ismoyo/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/25/130625_OKKY_ID_JOBFAIR_VG-150_100.jpg)
![Balinese children perform the Kecak dance at the 35th Bali Arts Festival in Denpasar on June 15th. While opening the festival, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia will not tolerate ethnic and religious violence. [Sonny Tumbleka/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/24/130624_OKKY3_ID_BALIFEST_VG-150_100.jpg)
![Muslims parade through Solo in celebration of Isra Wal Mi'raj on June 6th. The parade reflects the journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem. [Marwan/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/22/130622_YENNY_ID_ISRAMIRAJ_VG-150_100.jpg)
![Children in Purwarejo District, Central Java break stones for use in construction. Across Indonesia, some 300,000 children work to help support their families. A government programme is helping child labourers return to school. [Sarwo S/Khabar].](/shared/images/2013/06/21/130621_YENNY_ID_CHILDLABOUR-150_100.jpg)
![Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (front right) attends an ASEAN summit in Brunei in April. Her recent official visits to Sri Lanka and Maldives show Thailand's aspirations to widen its economic and diplomatic role in the region, analysts say. [Philippe Lopez/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/20/130620-YINGLUCK_TH_KSEA-150_100.jpg)
![A teacher overlooks a reading and writing session at Al Hidayah, one of the leaders in a new wave of Islamic pre-schools that stress modern learning techniques. [Grace Chen/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/19/130619_GRACE_MY_KINDERGARTEN-150_100.jpg)
![Norma Manalu, an activist from Aceh, speaks at a June 4th gathering about women's rights in Aceh, at Hotel Acacia in Jakarta. [Elisabeth Oktofani /Khabar].](/shared/images/2013/06/18/130618_FANI_ID_SHARIALAW_VG-150_100.jpg)
![Gamelan musicians are arrayed behind the shadow play screen (right) for a performance of wayang kulit at the University of Indonesia (UI) in Depok. An April 4-5th wayang festival at UI showcased various forms of traditional puppet theatre. [Ismira Lutfia Tisnadibrata/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/17/130617_ISMIRA1_ID_WAYANG_VG-150_100.jpg)
![The self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram III, is seen at his home in Manila on March 7th, after he announced, via his spokesman Abraham Indrijani that he had ordered his followers in Sabah to declare a ceasefire. [Jay Directo/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/15/130615_ANDHIKA_ID_SABAH_VG1-150_100.jpg)
![Police investigators collect evidence from the blast site, next to a damaged motorcycle used by a suicide bomber who attacked police headquarters in Poso, Sulawesi on June 3rd. Police believe the man was a member of an Islamist terror group affiliated with jailed extremist Abu Omar. [Olagondronk/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/13/130613_OKKY_ID_POSOTERRORIST-150_100.jpg)
![A Thai Muslim boy reads the Qur'an during the month of Ramadan at the Yala central Mosque on September 8th, 2008. Indonesia has announced it will give 50 scholarships to Thai Muslims to study at Islamic institutions in Indonesia. [Muhammad Sabri/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/12/130612_IN_OKKY_THAIMUSLIMS-150_100.jpg)
![After the shooting attack on their headmaster, Ban Waeng School students took to the streets with banners pleading for peace. [Rapee Mama/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/11/130611_RAPEE_TH_MARCH-150_100.jpg)
![Wearing traditional Papuan paint and headpieces, Roni Haluk (right) and a colleague pose with a visitor at the Papua province booth for National Information Week 2013 in Medan. Roni is using the Internet to market his honey. [Photos by Ismira Lutfia Tisnadibrata/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/10/130610_ISMIRA1_ID_INTERNET_VG-150_100.jpg)
![A robber with an assault rifle stands outside CIMB Niaga bank in Medan, North Sumatra during a robbery on August 18th, 2010, involving 16 gunmen who made off with about 300m rupiah ($30,596) in cash and killed a police officer. Police believe this was one of several robberies carried out by extremists who used the stolen money to fund terrorist activities. [AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/08/130608_ANDHIKA_ID_TERRORFUNDING-150_100.jpg)
![A Muslim shop worker gives alms to Buddhist monks in Magelang, Central Java. In May, the Buddhist minority in Indonesia celebrated Vesak, a religious festival that commemorates the birth, enlightenment and the passing away of the Buddha. Religious leaders took the opportunity to call for religious tolerance. [AFP /Clara Prima]](/shared/images/2013/06/07/130607-AMI_VESAK_KSEA-150_100.jpg)
![Students from Gadjah Mada University communicate anti-tobacco messages to mark World No Tobacco Day in front of the university in Yogyakarta on May 31st. [Yenny Herawati/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/06/130606_YENNY_ID_TOBACCO_VG1-150_100.jpg)
![Indonesian National Police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar thanks participants at the Facebookers' Meeting, held May 16th at the National Police Headquarters. He hopes social media can help police and citizens work together to improve security. [Photos by Elisabeth Oktofani/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/05/130605_FANI_ID_SOCIALMEDIA-150_100.jpg)
![Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra (right) shakes hands with her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh after a press conference at the Government House in Bangkok on May 30th. The two sides agreed to an extradition treaty, the second such deal India has struck this year, following one with Bangladesh. [Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/05/130605_UDAYAN_IN_INDIATHAI-150_100.jpg)
![Ibrahim Muhamadi (left) came to Malaysia from Iraq 15 years ago. Ibrahim believes a similar culture enables Middle Eastern Arabs to find a comfortable home in Malaysia. [Grace Chen/Khabar]](/shared/images/2013/06/04/130604_GRACE_MY_EXPAT2-150_100.jpg)
![Legislators listen to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's speech to parliament in Jakarta on August 16th, 2012, the eve of the Indonesia's independence day. In February 2013, legislators passed a long-sought law to curb terrorism financing, but questions remain on how to implement it. [Bay Ismoyo/AFP]](/shared/images/2013/06/03/130603_OKKY_ID_SEMINAR-150_100.jpg)
![Ranup Lampuan is an Acehnese traditional dance performed by women to officially welcome guests. Four women perform the dance at a wedding ceremony in Banda Aceh on Saturday (16/02/2013). [Agus M/Khabar].](/shared/images/2013/06/01/130601_YENNY_ID_ACEHDANCE_VG-150_100.jpg)
![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)