1995 saw progress in gamelan music worldBy Zoel Mistortoify PRAMBANAN, Yogyakarta (JP): The end of 1995 saw an important step in the world of gamelan music with the organizing of the International Gamelan Festival II and a seminar focused on the future of karawitan (the art of gamelan play and...

PPP chairman turns tough as 1997 polls nearBy Santi WE Soekanto JAKARTA (JP): "I want to create a calm, peaceful and serene situation within the United Development Party," Ismail Hasan Metareum said in 1989, when he was first elected chairman of this Moslem-based party.

Military secures release of 11 of the 24 hostages JAKARTA (JP): The military said yesterday it has secured the release of 11 of the 24 hostages abducted last Monday by the Free Papua Movement (OPM), an armed separatist movement in Irian Jaya."They were unharmed," Armed Forces Chief Spokesman Brig.

TV todayTVRI 7:00 a.m. Morning News 7:30 Healthy and Fit 7:40 TV Series: Speed Keteers 8:05 Children Program: Panggung Cerita Anak 8:35 Children Stories 9:00 People and Events 9:30 Comedy: Ria Jenaka 9:45 Music: Album Kita 10:45 Youth Program: Temu Remaja 11:15 Performance: Make Up 12:45 p.m.

Jakarta braves biggest flood since independenceBy Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): The flood is over, leaving mud, wrecked houses, and trauma in the minds of victims.On Wednesday, when the Ciliwung river which rose out of its banks last Saturday had returned to normal levels, Sobaruddin, a conductor...

Order in Pasar MingguFrom JayakartaThe area around the Pasar Minggu bus terminal in South Jakarta looked rather orderly on Friday. Although it was still crowded with a huge number of public transport vehicles, the drivers behaved well.

Dakon board game suffers from influx of high-tech gamesBy A. Ariobimo Nusantara JAKARTA (JP): Modernization has brought a lot of changes, not only to big, important issues, such as a nation's economic policies but also to small, seemingly unimportant matters, like toys and games.

PPP changes its course at lastBy Santi WE Soekanto The United Development Party, established on Jan. 5, 1973, puts on a big bash in Surabaya today. The party is changing its strategy to garner new voters for the 1997 general election.

Propagation Islam thru culture Sunan Ampel's way SURABAYA (JP): It is said that more than five centuries ago, Sunan Kalijaga suggested to the other Walis, charismatic religious teachers who disseminated Islam in Java, imbue the teaching with local culture such as selamatan, preparing and offering...

5,000 homeless after fire sweeps crowded slumBy Wahyudi M. Pratopo JAKARTA (JP): The fire that razed 2,000 houses in Muara Baru, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, has been extinguished, but the anguish remains.

El Aynaoui stuns defending champ Paul Haarhuis JAKARTA (JP): Younes El Aynaoui of Morocco upset defending champion Paul Haarhuis to prevent an all Netherlands final at the Indosiar Men's Open tennis championships yesterday.

Floods in JakartaFrom RepublikaI am only what metropolitan people call an orang udik (humble villager), but when I saw the reports, both in the printed and electronic media, about floods in Jakarta, the capital of this republic, I was deeply touched.

'Busana Muslim' style forges a fashionable futureBy Dini S. Djalal JAKARTA (JP): As the month of Ramadhan inches closer on the calender year, Indonesian designers are busy feeding market demands for Busana Muslim, or Moslem fashions."Ramadhan is always the peak of our business year.

IAIN Sunan Ampel facing more complicated challengesBy Ainur R. Sophiaan SURABAYA (JP): The first state university encountered after leaving Juanda Airport is the Sunan Ampel Institute for Islamic Studies. Strategically located on one of this city's thoroughfares, Jl.

Malaysia's satellite launched KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad yesterday hailed the successful launch of the country's first communications satellite as a major step in the country's bid to attain developed status.

Sunan Ampel Mosque a witness to religious devotionBy Santi W.E. Soekanto and Wisnu Pramudya SURABAYA (JP): It's 3:50 a.m. Only minutes before the call for the subuh (dawn) prayer was sounded by the muezzin of the Sunan Ampel Mosque.

Heidi Auwy a talented local harpistBy Veronica Soediro JAKARTA (JP): Her face hasn't changed much from when it was splashed across Indonesia by the media more than 10 years ago. So many pictures were published of Indonesia's pioneer harpist Heidi Auwy, mostly of her standing beside her harp looking...

Change sought in SE Asia nuclear free pact BANGKOK (Reuter): The United States was seeking changes in a southeast Asian nuclear weapons free zone pact to address worries it had about rights of navigation in the region, a U.S. official said yesterday.Winston Lord, a U.S.