China's defense minister arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday for the latest in a recent flurry of high-level visits between the two countries.

Rescuers saved more than 230 people aboard an Indonesian passenger ferry that sank Sunday in rough waters off Sumatra island, but at least 15 people have died, officials said. Search operations were called off after nightfall for the unknown number of passengers still missing.

The House of Representatives has approved the release of a Rp 300 billion (US$ 30 million) relief fund to assist reconstruction and rehabilitation in areas destroyed by a powerful earthquake in West Sumatra in September.

Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri has apologized to the family of Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid (Cak Nur) over his statements connecting the late scholar with the alleged criminalization of Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders .

Residents of two villages in Purworejo regency, Central Java, began repairing their houses Sunday, which were damaged during a landslide two days ago.

At least one passenger died while another 178 passengers were rescued after the ship KM Dumai Express 10 sank outside Balai Karimun Harbor, Riau, on Sunday.

A search and rescue team is looking for passengers of ship KM Dumai Express 10, which sank in Tukong Iyu waters, Karimun regency on its way from Batam to Dumai, Riau Islands Sunday morning.

The Pertamina gas station on Jl. Pangeran Dipenogoro, in Central Jakarta, has been closed for three weeks now and former staff, who are  still waiting for severance packages, are making money by guarding the now obsolete station.

A top reformer has been sentenced to six years in jail after he stood trial on charges of fomenting unrest to topple the Iranian regime, his lawyer said Sunday.