By Agni Amorita JAKARTA (JP): When their third child was born in good health on Nov. 29, 1992, Dwi Widodo and his wife Tuti were very happy. The baby boy was named Pamungkas and called Amung for short. But despite his rapid physical development, three-year-old Amung still could not speak. Dwi and Tuti took Amung to the family's pediatrician several times only to be told that they should be patient because the phenomenon was common.

School holiday break subdued during campaigns By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): The long-awaited school holiday has come but this does not necessarily mean that students are free to play outside the house. This time, they have to spend their month-long holiday differently, as the ongoing campaigns have made people hesitate to leave their homes, fearing election-related disturbances.

By Yacob J. Herin LAMAOLE, Solor, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): A "new day" sets in every year between July 16 and July 18 for the people in Lewotana Ole village, some 15 kilometers south of Rita Ebang, capital of West Solor district, East Flores regency, East Nusa Tenggara province. At that time they celebrate Wuu Hori (a new day). One day before the celebration, people take out their Wua (sacred objects with magic power), like krises, gold rings, gold chains, jewelry and precious stones.

---------------------------------------------------------------- Islam dan Negara: Transformasi Pemikiran dan Praktik Politik Islam di Indonesia (Islam and the State: The Transformation of Islamic Thought and Political Practices in Indonesia) By Bahtiar Effendy Yayasan Paramadina, Jakarta, October 1998 xvii and 374 pp Rp 35,000.