Indonesia, U.S. engage in week of meetings JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and the United States are preparing for a flurry of activities this week as Congressional aides, businesspeople and senior officials arrive to take part in talks here and in Bali.

Does Mr. Mochamad confuse you? JAKARTA (JP): A businessman from the Middle East eying Indonesian investment opportunities recently found himself in a tortuous situation as he tried to locate his friend's name in a local telephone book.

Floods spread to W. Java BANDUNG (JP): Spreading floods in West Java have destroyed crops and forced nearly 10,000 people to flee their homes, Antara reported yesterday.The news agency said that floods in West Java, Indonesia's main rice producer, had over the past several days destroyed 2,871...

Balinese transmigrants make good in TolaiBy Iriandi Ibrahim TOLAI, Central Sulawesi (JP): When I Nyoman Suweto came to Tolai in 1969, there was no road in the area. Tolai was a jungle inhabited by a few native people.Things have changed.

Black magic -- real or fancied?By T. Sima Gunawan JAKARTA (JP): Many people are familiar with the term witchcraft, even though not everybody believes it exists.Well, you won't see an old woman flying with her magic broom as found in many children's story books.

Suwandi, Andrian receive wild card JAKARTA (JP): Suwandi and Andrian Raturandang of Indonesia were named yesterday wild card recipients for the US$328,000 Indosiar Men's Tennis Championships which start tomorrow.

Aftershocks felt in Tolitoli PALU, Central Sulawesi (JP): Residents of Tolitoli rushed out of their homes after a four second aftershock jolted the Central Sulawesi town on Friday night, Antara reported yesterday.There were no reports of damage or casualties.

The mystery of sorcery puzzles scientistsBy T. Sima Gunawan JAKARTA (JP): Seeing is believing, but there are things which are hard to believe even after you have seen them. Some things are also hard to explain.

Gendeng Pamungkas, the doctor of deathBy Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): The man hands me his business card.One side reads "Ki Gendeng Pamungkas, Damned Hell Ltd., Death Street No. 810, Afterlife Green Complex, Phone: ...". At the top, there is the picture of a red monster sticking out its tongue.

Ricky and Rexy drop to world number two JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian world doubles champions Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky have to start the new badminton season as world number two, after suffering a string of losses in the last few months of last year.

Try cancels Soreang trip SOREANG, West Java (JP): Minister of Health Sujudi had to abruptly open the Village Information Week here yesterday after Vice-President Try Sutrisno's departure from Jakarta was delayed for over three hours due to bad weather.

Brief profile of successful Tolai farmers TOLAI, Central Sulawesi (JP): Hard work has transformed Tolai from a wild jungle into a successful agricultural area. From morning until dusk Tolai villagers work in the rice fields. Some have become rich and own cars, and fine houses with satellite dishes.

Hocus-pocus and all that jazz Believe it or not, black magic, which has its roots in animism, is still very much alive in these modern times. It is practiced in many parts of Indonesia under different names.

World rally champion team braces for 1996 season JAKARTA (JP): There is no real enemy but interest, a classic doctrine in politics says.It proves to be true for a new pair of world rally champion team, Subaru's Colin McRae and Kenneth Eriksson, who last season locked horns bitterly but who have now...

TV todayTVRI 7:00 a.m. Morning News 7:30 Healthy and Fit 7:40 TV Series: Speed Keteers 8:05 Around Us 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 Music: Minggu Gembira 11:45 Sports: Dari Gelanggang ke Gelanggang...

Colonarang has special place in Balinese daily lifeBy Putu Suasta and Intan Petersen DENPASAR (JP): "The witch hobbles forward, clutching her stick in both hands, doing a cramped, old woman's dance, taking one step with one foot drawn up, bending forward with stiff neck and back, moving in...

Balian penengen: Black magic medicine man DENPASAR (JP): The clock strikes twelve. It is midnight, but nobody wants to go home yet. Some small children are sleeping soundly in their mothers' laps, still clad in their prayer attire complete with an Udeng (a head band used when praying and in...

What religious leaders say about black magicBy Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): Religions recognize good and evil things, the visible and the invisible world. The Jakarta Post interviewed a number of religious leaders for their comments on black magic and how to avoid it.

Cashier robbed of Rp 30m SOLO, Central Java (JP): Thieves ran away with Rp 30 million (US$13,043) when they snatched a bag containing the salaries of a cigarette company carried by its cashier on Friday.