Ex- Indonesian president diagnosed with prostate cancer

Former Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will receive treatment in the United States, his aides said on Tuesday. Yudhoyono, who served two terms from 2004-2014, is suffering from an early stage of the disease, said his spokesperson, Ossy Darmawan.

Ossy said using Yudhoyono's initials that Mr SBY requested prayers that his medical treatment would go well. The 72-year-old former general will be treated at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, said Syarief Hassan, an official at the Democratic Party, which was founded by Yudhoyono.

He told reporters that the departure is expected today. Yudhoyono, the first Indonesian president to be elected directly, has been credited with restoring the country's economic and political stability after years of turmoil.