Career women face many challenges Today's women are becoming more liberated -- they know what they want and many do not hesitate to express themselves, thanks to R.A. Kartini (1879-1904). She was declared a national heroine of emancipation in 1964, and since then her birthday, April 21, has been celebrated as Kartini Day. Indonesia has many female executives, but this does not mean that women are fully emancipated.

Rare giant plant finally blossoms at Taman Mini JAKARTA (JP): The amorphallus titanum, a member of the rafflesia family of giant plants, has bloomed at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta. The rare flower bloomed four days later than expected and is the largest ever recorded in Indonesia. The plant is also known as the "corpse flower" (bunga bangkai) because it emits a foul odor.

Single mom juggles job and home to support son By Bruce Emond JAKARTA (JP): Nine-month-old Isaiah squeals in delight as his mother waves him over her head and drapes his tiny frame around her shoulders. It is nearly midnight but Ade Juniarti is snatching a few moments of fun with her child after an exhausting day at the office. Ade is going it alone as a single working mother who has altered her career path to spend more time raising her son.

Fuel prices From Suara Karya At the end of last year, when I was in the U.S., I bought unleaded gasoline at prices -- depending on the trademark -- equivalent to a range from Rp 703 to Rp 720 per liter. Pertamina is said to have produced unleaded gasoline which is sold at Rp 1,000 a liter. On my recent trip to China, I bought gasoline at a price equivalent to Rp 600.

Djaduk Ferianto's 'Gades Sumpeg' make shallow waves By Franki Raden JAKARTA (JP): Music for the theater often makes a valuable contribution to the contemporary music scene. Proof enough is that two of Indonesia's most talented composers, Embie C. Noer of Jakarta and Djaduk Ferianto of Yogyakarta, produce works for the theater. It is worth noting that both musicians are self-taught. Embie made his debut as a composer of the music for Teater Kecil, the late Arifin's theater group.

Feby/Hendri reach Japan Open finals JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's junior doubles Feby Widhiyanto and Hendri Susilo Pramono will play in today's final of the Japan Open Junior Tennis Championship in Tokyo. Feby/Hendri beat Chinese Taipei pair of Cheng Wei Jen/Fu Shao Wei 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) yesterday. The national duo, who won the Indonesia Astra International Junior Championship and runner up of the Thailand International Junior Championship, will challenge Hewitt Lleyton/Nattan Helly of Australia. (yan)

Batik and painting turn Ardiyanto's creative wheel By Amir Sidharta YOGYAKARTA (JP): First and foremost, Ardiyanto is known for his batik. Iwan Tirta may still be the most famous batik designer in Indonesia, but Ardiyanto's work is gaining world renown. Hillary Clinton is among the dignitaries who have visited his batik studio and boutique. Ardiyanto has also been concentrating on painting, working so creatively and productively that he has also become known as an accomplished artist.

Time etches changes on urban landscape of Jakarta By Richard Watson JAKARTA (JP): Early in the 1970s, the capital was still spelled as Djakarta. It was widely reported by the international press that Indonesia was a country in a state of anarchy with most services broken down. Djakarta had only the Hotel Indonesia, surrounded by slums, the grandiose Asian Games Stadium and a lot of Soviet style monuments.

Megawati believes in a nation with a vision By T. Sima Gunawan and Imanuddin JAKARTA (JP): She does not talk much, but she is one of the most talked about persons in the country. A low-profile and soft- spoken woman, Dyah Permata Megawati Soekarnoputri is a tough and powerful figure in New Order politics. Talking about politics in Indonesia is also talking about Megawati, the ousted chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Resort bans controversial Aussie MP from meeting PERTH, Australia (AFP): Controversial Australian politician Pauline Hanson has been banned from speaking at a fashionable resort here next month because of her views on Asian immigration, The West Australian reported yesterday. Burswood Resort spokesman Bruce Brislin was quoted as saying that Hanson, an Independent MP from Queensland, would not be allowed to use the resort for a meeting on May 2.

Australia tries to fathom the emerging Asia Pathways to Asia, The Politics of Engagement Edited by Richard Robinson Allen & Unwin, NSW, 1996 Paperback, 270 pages A$24.95 MELBOURNE (JP): While a fascination with Asia in the Western world is not a new trend, it was only just over a decade ago that there was a shift in balance in books published in English- speaking countries. The prevalence of books with an "orientalist" slant was gradually overtaken by those about economics and power.

KONI takes over wushu training duties JAKARTA (JP): The 19th SEA Games training director, Djoko Pramono, has announced that he has taken charge of wushu training because the athletes had not been following correct training programs. Djoko said Friday that his decision to replace Putu Wijaya, the former wushu training director, was backed by the National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar.

TV today TVRI 6:45 a.m. Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 7:15 Healthy and Fit 7:30 Children's Program: Arena 123 8:00 TV Series: Brudy and Family 8:30 Performances: Warna Warni 9:00 Children's Film: 9:30 Cooking Program: Masakan Indonesia 10:00 TVRI News 10:30 Music: Album Minggu Ini 11:30 People and Events 12:15 p.m.

RI feedom ally dies at 81 JAKARTA (JP): Biju Patnaik, an Indian leader known for his strong support of Indonesia during its fledgling republic days, died Thursday at the age of 81 in New Delhi. The former minister in the Indian government and former chief minister of Orissa, a state in eastern India, was born in Cuttack, Orissa, on March 5, 1916. Patnaik is remembered for his support for Indonesia's freedom movement.

For 'Si Kuncung' life may start after 40 By Myra Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): The oldest children's magazine in Indonesia, Si Kuncung, celebrates its 41st anniversary this month. Once the darling of every child in Indonesia, you will no longer find it in the bookstore even though it still clings on to existence. For many years, Si Kuncung was the only children's magazine and once reached a circulation of 250,000 copies.

Highest Paid Female Executives in Indonesia (Rank, Name, Company, Position, Estimated 1995 Income in million Rp): 1. Eva Rianti Hutapea, Indofood Sukses Makmur, Director 2. Rini M.S. Suwandi, Astra International, Finance Director 3. Angel L. Umali, Indofood Sukses Makmur, Director, 800-999 4. Gunarni Soeworo, Bank Niaga, President Director 5. Enny A. Hardjanto, Bank Papan Sejahtera, VP Director, 600-799 6. Lestien Tjokrokusumo, Jan Darmadi Corporation, Supervisory Director, 400-599 7.

Flores' village keeps up whaling tradition By Yacob Herin LARANTUKA, East Flores (JP): Excited cries of baleo ring out along the Lamalera coastline as children and adults point to the spot where a whale has surfaced, its presence heralded by a fountain of seawater sprayed high in the air. Fishermen, who have waited for hours for this moment, push their boats out to sea to begin the hunt.

New center expected to raise RI's Islamic profile By Rita A.Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is set to take a more prominent place in the Islamic world following today's opening of the Bayt-Al Quran and Istiqlal Museum by President Soeharto at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta. Dubbed one of the biggest museum, research and study centers of its kind, the facility is expected to emerge as a major force in the development of Islam in Indonesia and neighboring countries.

The commercialization of marriage in Bali By Garret Kam DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Special wedding-holiday packages are being openly and shamelessly promoted by several travel agents, with foreign tourists as the potential buyers.

Liza, Mimma get wild card at Open JAKARTA (JP): Two young Indonesian players received wild cards to play at the Danamon Indonesia Open women's tennis tournament here next week. The Indonesian Tennis Association said Liza Andriyani, world ranked 469, and Mimma Chernovita, world ranked 477, would receive wild cards for the main draw. "Liza improved her ranking from 700s to her current ranking.

Holy row colors Balinese wedding package By Putu Wirata DENPASAR (JP): A young wedding couple walked elegantly from the padmasana, the worship place for Balinese Hindus, at the Agung Rai Museum in Ubud, Bali. At first glance they looked like a Balinese bridal couple. They were shaded by umbrellas painted silver and gold and escorted by traditionally-clad Balinese, including a Hindu priest. Their fair skin, attire and the genuine trappings of a Balinese marriage ceremony augmented the effect.

Merpati plane crash kills 15 on Belitung Island JAKARTA (JP): At least 15 people were killed and six others missing when a Merpati Nusantara airliner crashed on Belitung Island near South Sumatra yesterday morning. Carrying 48 passengers and five crew members, the Advanced Turbo Prop (ATP) aircraft crashed into a palm oil plantation about six kilometers from Bulu Tumbang airport in Belitung's main city of Tanjung Pandan.

Clinton reassures democracy leader on HK status-quo WASHINGTON (Reuter): President Bill Clinton has told a Hong Kong democracy advocate there "would be consequences" if freedom erodes in the colony once China assumes control on July 1, according to the White House.

Career and marriage, or career versus marriage? By Ridwan M. Sijabat JAKARTA (JP): Some working women, some day, may have to make the unenviable choice of sacrificing either career or marriage. The two, in some circumstances, are not always compatible. While many successful career women lead successful married lives, there are cases where successful women's marriages go down the drain, says well-known psychiatrist Naek Lumban Tobing.

To the classical beat of inferior cassettes JAKARTA (JP): Music hath charms to soothe the savage ... is it breast or beast? Well, never mind. I am here to tell you that it also arouses the beast, or savageness in breasts -- or whatever. Actually, I am not being fair to that noble art, because it is not music that's at fault here but commercial activities related to it, i.e, the sales of classical music cassettes. I like Mozart, Schumann and Schuman, Weber and Webern, etc.

Canberra, KL and much ado about ASEM Exclusion from ASEM will disadvantage Australian diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific, says Milton Osborne. SINGAPORE: Malaysia's decision to exclude Australia from the next Asia-Europe summit (ASEM), due to be held in London in 1998, has evoked a range of reactions in Australia. While the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, has suggested the issue is not of great importance, other commentators have argued the matter is one for real concern.

Working mother' motive affects children's growth JAKARTA (JP): The motive of mothers who work outside the home plays an important role in the success or failure of children's personality development, noted psychologist Utami Munandar said. Utami, a lecturer from University of Indonesia's School of Psychology, said that children will be proud of their mothers if the mothers choose to be independent or to help their families earn a living.

Unemployment From Suara Karya A constant problem in our community is unemployment vis-a-vis work opportunities. People are often hoaxed into paying millions of rupiah to an myriad of go-betweens who promise jobs. Some may land jobs but many others get nothing but more promises. This should not happen if a person has self-confidence and an optimistic outlook on life. The growing rate of unemployment should be a whip to us to maintain an open perspective in searching for work opportunities.