'MTV' veejay Donita ecstatic with life By Hera Diani JAKARTA (JP): It's the best job in the world. At least that's what Donita Rose Ramos Cavett says about her gig as an MTV veejay. The 26-year-old Filipino obviously enjoys her work at the music channel, which she says was a childhood dream. Born and raised in Utah, the United States, her mother is a Filipino and her father, a retired military officer, is an American.

Pramoedya's indictment of Japanese war crimes Perawan Remaja dalam Cengkraman Militer -- Catatan Pulau Buru (Young Virgins in the Military's Grip -- Notes from Buru Island) Pramoedya Ananta Toer; Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia, Jakarta 2001; ix + 218 pp; Rp 25,000 JAKARTA (JP): Pramoedya is famous for his Buru tetralogy and his other novels that defend humanism, and this nonfiction book shows his deep concern about the legacy of World War II from the Japanese occupational forces, particularly in...

Latin leaders seek greater say in decisions of international financial community, support Argentina SANTIAGO (Agencies): A summit of Latin American leaders appealed on Friday for developing nations to have a greater say in decisions of the international finance community, urging swift help for Argentina's acute financial crisis. President Ricardo Lagos of Chile opened the Group of Rio summit of 19 leaders with praise for democracy that has spread throughout the hemisphere in the last decade.

Indonesia's 'Millionaire' falls short of entertaining JAKARTA (JP): The rhetorical British quiz show that has become a worldwide phenomenon has arrived on these shores, adding one more country to its long list of conquests. Yes, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? is here and will air every Saturday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on RCTI.

Manila hotel turns into inferno MANILA (AFP): Shocking safety lapses and barred windows turned a hotel in a suburb of the Philippine capital into a fiery death trap on Saturday as residents screamed in vain for help. At least 75 people died after the blaze broke out on the third floor of the budget Manor Hotel in Quezon City at 4:30 a.m. local time. Firefighters battled to rescue hotel guests trapped in their rooms by iron bars on the windows and balconies.

aze Haze returns to Pontianak.

Few takers for online shopping By Christ Tumelap Despite the high expectations on the country, which has been praised by Internet analysts as a enormous potential market, the growth of e-commerce in Indonesia has been slow. JAKARTA (JP): The number of people who use Internet might double to four million this year, thanks to the mushrooming of cheap Internet kiosks. But only a few actually make online transactions with virtual or "brick and mortar" shops on the Internet.

Page 2 Journalist Veteran journalist Kate Webb calls it quits, maybe. Page 3 Travel Tradition and leisure mix at Pelabuhan Ratu. Page 4 Food Indonesian food on the menu in Germany. Page 5 Hostage Ex-hostage Daniel Start looks back on Irian Jaya. Page 6 Reading Start early to nurture your children's reading habits. Page 7 E-commerce Few takers for online shopping. Page 9 'MTV' veejay 'MTV' veejay Donita ecstatic with life. Page 11 E-branding E-branding: A new approach to an old idea.

'I feel like I am too old to be called a lady rocker' One of the biggest music stars of the late 1980s, Nicky Astria is still rocking today at the age of 32. A longtime resident of Bandung, her melancholic, haunting vocals continue to enthrall both her longtime fans and those who were toddlers when she made her debut almost 20 years ago.

Guess What? Hughes Rumor had it that MC and TV talk show host Hughes was turning her back on her career and heading off to the Freeport compound in Irian Jaya to join her new husband. Forsaking all for love? It sounds romantic, but the story was all wrong. "I'm going to Freeport only for a week. I will visit my husband and at the same time, I have a job as an MC there in an Independence Day commemoration with singers Iis Dahlia and Yuni Shara," she said with a laugh.

Hot and bothered about you-know-what on TV JAKARTA (JP): When I was about 12 and my father was away on a business trip, my mom told me one day that he would have something to tell me when he got back. Well, I understood what she meant. The big talk about you-know-what. The birds and the bees. Why Harry wanted to meet Sally (and why Sally got all hot and bothered in the diner). What made Adam and Eve get into a lot of trouble over a little apple.

Silly Girl By Santi Dharma When Meriem took the mikrolet to the office, the smells were always the same, day in, day out. In the morning, the air hummed with freshly washed, perfumed bodies, but then intruded the choking sweet odor of cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes which always entered on a back draft, even if a window was left open just a crack.

Recovering Taufik to meet Wong in Singapore final JAKARTA (JP): Taufik Hidayat who is still recovering from his injuries made an outstanding performance by advancing to the final of the US$120,000 Sunrise-Yonex Singapore Open to meet Malaysian Wong Choong Han in Sunday's final.

Some practical tips for storytelling JAKARTA (JP): You may realize the good of storytelling to your children, but you may feel a bit confused about how to begin. One way is to take the advice of people who make storytelling their living and adapt their tips to your home. Who knows? You may even be able to tell stories to a public audience, like they do. Here are step-by-step storytelling tips from Barry McWilliams, a practical storyteller based in Everett, Washington and Dr.

Outlook: The opportunity is definitely there The lack of security and law enforcement is one of the many things hampering the development of e-commerce in the country. Eka N. Ginting, CEO of locally based travel portal indo.com, answers The Jakarta Post's questions on the issue. Question: How do you see the development of the country's e- commerce? Answer: Very positive.

ASEAN Gallery showcases art from near and far By Mehru Jaffer JAKARTA (JP): The corridors of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat here are abuzz with an activity not normally thought of when considering the regional grouping. Taking advantage of a lull in activities, a result of the Asian financial crisis that has gripped the region since 1997, the Secretariat took the time to do some spring cleaning.

Aceh calm but tense as transport strike continues BANDA ACEH, Aceh (JP): The province was calm but tense on Saturday following several days of transportation strike, killings and arson. No major clashes were reported. The vital eastern highway connecting Banda Aceh and Medan remained closed but public vans began plying their regular routes in Banda Aceh. However, truck drivers remained on strike in protest of a lack of security.

The President should set an example From Koran Tempo The decision to place the Indonesian Banking Restructuring Agency (IBRA) under the control of the State Minister of State Enterprises is now a reality. Hence a part of the nation's assets is now within the "jurisdiction" of a minister of a certain political party, which won the last election.

E-branding: A new approach to an old idea of marketing By Vishnu K. Mahmud JAKARTA (JP): I have always been a sucker for contests. Win a house in the Bahamas, a new car with all the trimmings, or a turbo-charged entertainment center complete with big screen TV and the complimentary movie attendant...! While I was in the U.S., I entered countless sweepstakes and quizzes in the hope of at least winning a mouse pad. Alas, to no avail.

Veteran journalist Kate Webb calls it quits, maybe By Ivy Susanti JAKARTA (JP): Thirty-seven years have flown by, leaving New Zealand-born journalist Kate Webb with first-hand memories of many momentous events. Her work has also given her a deep understanding of life and people.

Where to go in Jakarta: Exhibitions * Painting, Ceramics Paul Husner, F. Widayanto, Galeri Minima - Maxima, Jl. Sultan Iskandar Muda 88D, Arteri Pondok Indah (Phone: 7207171, 7209009), 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., until Aug. 23. * Painting by Alfi, Galeri Lontar, Jl. Utan Kayu 68H, East Jakarta (Phone: 8573388), 8 p.m., until Aug. 23. * Photo: The Long and Winding Road East Timor, by Eddy Hasby, Bentara Budaya Jakarta, Jl. Palmerah Selatan no. 17, Central Jakarta (Phone: 5483008 ext.

Snapshot Photo A: Megawati JP/R. Berto Wedhatama SOMETHING TO REMEMBER: President Megawati Soekarnoputri (left) shows Vice President Hamzah Haz (right) the souvenirs she received during the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of her father, first president Sukarno. The ceremony featured a show which was produced and choreographed by Guruh Soekarnoputra on Aug. 15 at the Jakarta Convention Center's assembly hall in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

Local TV lacks originality The state-owned TV network TVRI and two of the now five private TV stations celebrate their founding anniversaries this month. There have been many changes in the local TV world in the past year -- and more are expected with the debut of several stations scheduled before the year is out -- but have these been for the better of the viewing public? The Jakarta Post's Hera Diani tunes in to find out if quantity, not quality, still dominates what we see on the tube.

TV today TVRI 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News 8:00 Cartoon 8:30 Children's Performances 9:00 Sports 10:30 Religious Teachings 11:00 News 11:30 Children's Songs 12:00 p.m. Traditional Comedy 1:30 Children's Program 2:00 News 2:15 Traditional Performance 3:15 Music 4:15 Children's Program 4:30 Religious Teachings 5:00 Forestry 5:30 Children's Film 6:00 News 7:00 Comedy 7:30 Song and Dance 9:00 Music 10:00 News 10:30 Sports Program 2 5:30 p.m.

Sebastian Gunawan presents grand designs By Muara Bagdja JAKARTA (JP): Sebastian Gunawan's fashion shows are always big events. His most recent, held at Hotel Mulia in Central Jakarta last week, went one step further in cementing his image as one of the country's finest designers. It was a grand presentation of 100 supremely beautiful gowns and precious jewelry on a spectacular stage before a huge audience. It seemed to make a statement: The era of Sebastian Gunawan is here and now!

Start early to nurture your children's reading habit By Maria Endah Hulupi JAKARTA (JP): Establishing a fun atmosphere and pleasant experience with books at home helps introduce the written word to infants as toys, stimulate toddlers to learn how to read and encourage positive reading habits in older children. "Parents are not aware that developing good habits in reading can be nurtured in children from as early as their first year," said child psychologist Seto Mulyadi.

'Becak' drivers yet to enjoy independence By Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Fitri JAKARTA (JP): "Being a becak driver is easy. I just have to use my muscles," said Yatim. The 30-year-old man decided to become a becak (pedicab) driver four years ago after his hard efforts to find work proved fruitless. Yatim, who dropped out of vocational school in his hometown in Cirebon, West Java, came to the capital 10 years ago to seek a new future. He worked as a janitor in a state department on Jl.

Indonesian food on the menu in Germany By Sri Pudyastuti Baumeister BRUNSWICK, Germany (JP): It's a busy evening at Tuk Tuk restaurant in Berlin, but Suwido's friendly greeting to newly arrived guests -- "Hello, how are you? Wait for a moment while I set your table -- makes sure they feel at ease as they wait to take their seats. With Gending Sundanese music playing in the background and the congenial staff, it's like the people have found a corner of exotic Indonesia in Germany.

Tradition and leisure mix at Pelabuhan Ratu By Simon Marcus Gower PELABUHAN RATU, West Java (JP): Head due south from central Jakarta and you are on a perfect course for the peaceful hill- town of Bogor, which has for centuries been a more temperate escape for dwellers of the nation's capital. Continue south beyond this appealing town and head for Java's coast on the Indian Ocean and you will eventually arrive at the equally welcoming Pelabuhan Ratu Bay.

Center links Australia and Asia By Dewi Anggraeni MELBOURNE, Australia (JP): Most busy people, for the sake of convenience, like to think of the world as divided into two halves: the East and the West. The East is full of mysteries, opacities and exotica, while the West is technologically tidy, transparent and straightforward. It is curious how widespread and persistent this concept is, even in our ever-shrinking world, in a manner of speaking.

Ex-hostage Daniel Start looks back on Irian Jaya By Adrian Smith JAKARTA (JP): Since the beginning of June two Belgian filmmakers have been held hostage in Irian Jaya. One person who knows what they are going through is Daniel Start, who survived such an ordeal and wrote about the experience. Now 28, the Englishman was the leader of the ill-fated 1995 Lorentz expedition.

Haze returns to Pontianak, interrupts flight schedules PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan (JP): Choking haze from forest fires has returned to West Kalimantan after 10 days without any rain. The smog reappeared after people had enjoyed clean air for almost three weeks. Haze blanketed the entire city for all of July, disrupting flights in and out of the airport.