Jakartans predict victory for Brazil in W. Cup final JAKARTA (JP): So who's going to go home with the World Cup this year? Soccer fans, from celebrities and businesspeople to military officers, were asked to predict the winner of the World Cup final between France and Brazil. Minister/State Secretary and newly elected Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung says it's Brazil all the way. "Of course Brazil will win.

Hotels and cafes offer deals to final watchers JAKARTA (JP): World Cup fever has not only afflicted the 32 participating countries, but also seemingly all others around the world, including Indonesia. Many locals have sacrificed sleep to stay up into the wee hours to watch the matches broadcast live by five private TV stations and state-owned TVRI.

Let cooperatives grow undisturbed, chief Herlambang says By Rita A. Widiadana JAKARTA (JP): Today, Indonesians mark the 51st National Cooperatives Day in observance of the First National Cooperative Congress in Tasikmalaya, West Java, on July 12, 1947. The cooperative's founding father, economist and first vice president Mohammad Hatta, stipulated the cooperative system was the most appropriate economic means to promote people's welfare and living conditions.

Spotlight Photo A: GranMelia Gran Melia Jakarta TOUCH DOWN: The Gran Melia Jakarta's guest relations officer, Erika R. Situmorang (second from right), welcomes Ronald R. Roy, vice president of Spain's Sol Meli Asia Pacific's sales and marketing (second from left) and Jennifer Dunbar of the hotel chain's consultant, Dunbar Jones & Associates (far left). Welcomed in conjunction with Jakarta's 471st anniversary, they had just arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport here on June 22.

Guess What? Mochtar Riady It was unimaginable during former president Soeharto's 32-year rule for anybody to interrupt him while he was speaking. Mochtar Riady, the owner of the giant Lippo Group, broke the rigid taboo Tuesday with Soeharto's replacement. In a meeting with members of the Indonesian Chamber of Trade and Industry, President B.J. Habibie rambled on about his strategy to restore the country's economic chaos.

How to master, manipulate one's inner power By Christiani S. Tumelap and Johannes Simbolon JAKARTA (JP): Good health is said to be the most precious treasure in one's life. Myriad different exercises have been invented to help people develop a healthier and better-shaped body. However, for some people, a healthy body is not enough. They want power -- not only of the muscular variety but also the invisible inner power believed to be able to make one more powerful.

Stimulating public discourse through art By Amir Sidharta JAKARTA (JP): An exhibition of the work of five artists, Amrus Natalsya, Salim M., Sulan, Tomy Faisal Alim, and Firman is currently being held at the Japan Foundation. This group of five artists appear to take their work very seriously, if its quality and the diligence with which they have developed their own artistic discourse are anything to go by.

Staying healthy on tight budget An apple a day keeps the doctor away, says homespun wisdom, but even apples are a bit beyond the budget nowadays. The Jakarta Post team of reporters Aloysius Unditu, Christiani S. Tumelap, Johannes K. Simbolon, Oka Budhi Yogaswara, Ridwan Sijabat, Stevie Emilia and Yudha Kartohadiprodjo find out how to stay healthy on a budget.

Mt. Merapi eruption spews ash over 60 km By Israr Ardiansyah and Asip Agus Hasani MAGELANG, Central Java (JP): Mt. Merapi, after days of ominous rumbling and minor tremors, finally erupted early yesterday morning, spewing toxic heat clouds and volcanic ash onto villages several kilometers away. There have been no reports of casualties as yet. The heat clouds blew to an uninhabited area six kilometers west of the mountain.

Akbar becames Golkar's first-ever elected chairman JAKARTA (JP): At the end of an intense three-day extraordinary congress yesterday, Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung captured the Golkar chairmanship in the first ever voted election by the dominant political organization, which also said it was ready to become a formal political party.

Mastery of inner power can bring both health and beauty By Yudha Kartohadiprodjo and Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): Many people say beauty usually comes with good health. What many are not aware of, however, is that both beauty and health can derive from tenaga dalam, or inner power. That's what the members of Jurus Seni Penyadar (JSP), literally the art of awareness movements, believe.

PORPI offers healthy life through 'breathing' By Aloysius Unditu and Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): People living in big cities are getting dizzy trying to cope with the current hardships caused by the crisis, the country's worst ever. Most are just painstakingly seeking ways to survive, both mentally and physically, by keeping themselves healthy.

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. News: Sari Berita Sepekan 6:30 Morning Focus 6:45 Healthy and Fresh 7:00 Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 7:30 Children's Program: Arena Kami 8:00 Children's Program: Kumbang and Family 8:30 Children's Program: Nuansa Anak 9:00 Documentary Film: Lembah Bada 9:30 Creative Program: Widya Wahana 10:00 Creative Program: Keterampilan Keluarga 10:30 Music: Album Minggu 11:15 Traditional Comedy: Ria Jenaka 11:30 Talk Show: Bincang-Bincang 12:05 p.m.

In search of the real meaning of life Bhagavad Gita bagi Orang Modern: Menyelami Misteri Kehidupan (Bhagavad Gita for Modern People: An Attempt to Understand the Mystery of Life); By Anand Krishna; Published by Gramedia Pustaka Utama, Jakarta, 1998; xiv + 380 pp YOGYAKARTA (JP): Forgetting who he really is, modern man has burned his hands in his self-made fire. The modern world is marked with crises of humanity and the environment.

Some TV films retain quality despite crisis By Marselli Sumarno JAKARTA (JP): Soaring prices have nearly dealt a fatal blow to national film production which was already expensive before the onset of the economic crisis. There is concern, therefore, that production levels will plummet. Producers of as many as 25 professional domestic films, generally categorized as "hot" films, have been unable to afford to copy print their works at the Interstudio laboratory due to skyrocketing costs.

Indonesia vs Lebanon in Davis Cup JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian men's tennis team will leave for Beirut today to challenge Lebanon in the Group I Asia Oceania Davis Cup playoff. Indonesian Tennis Association deputy secretary-general Subiyanto SP said yesterday that the playoff would take place from July 17 to July 19 at the Lebanese capital's Zouk Mikail Indoor Stadium.

Indonesia asks U.S. help to seek extra aid WASHINGTON (AP): Indonesia is asking the United States for help in securing an additional US$4 billion to $6 billion in international aid to combat the Asian nation's worst financial crisis in 30 years. Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry, said he had discussed with Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin a U.S. contribution to a possible package the International Monetary Fund is arranging for Indonesia.

Krisdayanti has baby JAKARTA (JP): Artists Anang and Krisdayanti were blessed with the arrival of a daughter on Friday at 1:38 a.m. whom they named Titania Aurelia Hermansyah, Antara reported yesterday. The baby, sleeping beside her mother at a South Jakarta hospital was 45 centimeters long and weighed 2.72 kilograms. Anang, who recorded Titania's birth, said he was grateful to God and that it would be up to Titania "whether she wants to be a singer or politician" or anything else.

Akbar Tandjung, not your usual political lightweight JAKARTA (JP): Going through his official resume, one would be forgiven for dismissing Akbar Tandjung, the new Golkar chairman, as a political lightweight. But this is not necessarily the case. A politician in its truest sense of the word, Akbar was involved in many of the crucial decisions at past Golkar congresses, and at past meetings of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). But he has worked mostly behind the scenes.