Zarina faces drug trafficking charge JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives chief Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo said on Thursday that his office would charge Zarina Mirafsur with drug trafficking as stipulated in Article 60 of Law No. 5/1997 on psychotropic substances. "That's the article that we're going to nail her with," officer Alex told The Jakarta Post.

Stop tearing each other apart Thanks to all who have responded to my letter, published in The Jakarta Post on Nov. 5. My special respect to Mrs. Farida Hanum for the openness, clarity and courage of her contribution of Nov. 12 (without the abrasive parts, it would have been even better). I have lived in this country since 1982, and I do not think I am superficial. I have studied with great attention the Aug.

Asia faces pressure on rapid trade reforms SINGAPORE (AFP): Many Asian developing economies emerging from crisis are facing domestic pressure against faster trade liberalization at the upcoming WTO ministerial talks in Seattle, Washington, analysts in the region say. Sheltered domestic industries are worried they would be overwhelmed by competition if their markets were thrown open while still recovering from a recession caused by the financial turmoil which erupted in mid-1997.

Taiwan-RI flights unaffected by Y2K JAKARTA (JP): Taiwan-based EVA Air said on Thursday it would fly as usual to Taipei from Jakarta or Denpasar on New Years Eve, but suspend its connecting flights between Denpasar and Surabaya as a year 2000 bug (Y2K) precautionary measure. EVA Air's deputy general manager for Indonesia Makmun Hamsa said the airline's fleet was already Y2K compliant and the cancellation was partly due to the unclear Y2K preparations at the airports in the two cities.