Following are some leading stories in the main Indonesian newspapers on Jan 7. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Telephone: Editorial: +62-21-384-6364. Fax: +62-21-344-8404 or Help Desk: +803-061-2124 (toll free). - - - - JAKARTA POST - MORE COMPANIES LAY OFF WORKERS - MINISTRY Indonesia's Manpower and Transmigration Ministry said that up to 700 workers have been laid off so far this year, bringing the total number of dismissed workers since November 2008 to almost 25,000. - SENDING JIHADISTS TO GAZA NOT AN OPTION - FOREIGN MINISTER Indonesia's foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda said that sending jihadists to the Gaza Strip to fight Israel was not an option as it would not improve the situation in the region. - JAMSOSTEK MISSES 2008 PROFIT TARGET Indonesia's state fund management firm PT Jamsostek only reached 85 percent of its 1.17 trillion rupiah ($107 million) profit target for 2008, its president director said. - - - - JAKARTA GLOBE - SULPHUR POISONING BLAMED FOR DEAD FISH IN LAKE MANINJAU Sulphur poisoning from volcanic activity is believed to be responsible for the death of 7,000 fish in West Sumatra Province's lake Maninjau in the past two days. - - - - BISNIS INDONESIA - INDONESIA'S EXCELCOM CONSIDERS 15 PERCENT RIGHT ISSUE Indonesia's third-largest mobile phone operator, PT Excelcomindo Pratama Tbk <EXCL.JK>, is considering selling new shares, increasing its share capital by 15 percent, in the second quarter, a senior company official said. - - - - KONTAN - BUMI BUYS PT FAJAR BUMI SAKTI SHARES FOR 2.48 TRLN RPH Indonesia's largest coal miner, PT Bumi Resources <BUMI.JK> has bought shares in coal miner PT Fajar Bumi Sakti in a deal worth 2.48 trillion rupiah ($227.5 million), director Eddie J. Soebari said. - - - - KOMPAS - PT KERETA API REPORTS 40 BLN RPH PROFIT State railway firm PT Kereta Api reported a profit of 40 billion rupiah in 2008 due to an increase in passenger volume and a drop in the number of accidents, chief director Ronny Wahyudi said. ($1=10,900 Rupiah)
Residents mill around the street after an earthquake in Manokwari, West Papua January 4, 2009. A series of powerful earthquakes off the northern coast of West Papua, Indonesia, early on Sunday ...
