On the Shelves Streotip Etnis dalam Masyarakat Multietnis (Ethnic Streotypes in Multiethnic Society); By Prof. Dr. Suwarsih Warnaen; MATABANGSA, Yogyakarta in cooperation with Yayasan Adikarya Ikapi and the Ford Foundation, 2002; xvii + 435 pp For a multiethnic country like Indonesia, ethnic stereotypes are inevitable and may be a source of ethnic conflicts.

Iwan Tirta: Batik takes a stretch with Lycra Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta Five models clad in a variety of flight attendant uniforms strode onto the catwalk to signal the opening of Iwan Tirta's latest fashion show. Their uniforms, all made of Iwan's trademark batik, were a combination of pants and a blouse, a knee-length skirt and a jacket, or a blouse and a long skirt in the style of a Singapore Airlines girl.

Fallen heroes remembered on 10th anniversary of deaths The country was saddened in mid-April 1992 by the loss of two of its best mountain climbers, Norman Edwin and Didiek Samsu Wahyu Triachdi. National and international media devoted extensive coverage to the deaths of the duo. Leading members of the University of Indonesia's Mapala UI sports nature club, the men died trying to climb the 6,959-meter Mt. Aconcagua (locally called Kon Kawa) in Chili.

Artists reinterpret ancient tea ritual Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta There has been much talk about culture and tradition, and the debate on the pros and cons remains central despite these uncertain times. More constructive and effective, perhaps, are efforts exploring transcendental values that enrich contemporary life in a universal manner. This is what the fascinating exhibition, The New Way of Tea, in New York is apparently all about.

VP argues for release of Agus by Manila Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Vice President Hamzah Haz called on the Philippine government on Saturday to release Agus Dwikarna if his arrest was in connection with a substantiated crime committed in Indonesia.

Twin mourns brother killed in freak blast Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Arfan Satria Palon was still asleep at about 7 a.m. on Saturday when the phone rang. He had no inkling of the shocking news that was to forever change his life and that of his family. He was told that his identical twin brother, Irfan Satria Palon, was killed when a gas cylinder exploded at SMUN 47 state high school in Tanah Kusir, South Jakarta.

Family planning board to retain some functions Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak The Jakarta Post Jakarta In a bid to keep its public services intact, the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN) plans to retain two of its main functions, with the others being delegated to local administrations starting from December 2003. The board's chairwoman, Yaumil C.A.

Early education still a luxury for most Indonesians Santi W.E. Soekanto, Contributor, Jakarta Ridha turned five late last year and was bored with kindergarten, so his parents devised ways to enroll him in a neighborhood elementary school in Depok, despite being too young. He soon enjoyed the lessons, but could not cope with the bullies. One day, one of the big boys tried to take his lunchbox and money. Ridha fled and refused to return even after much cajoling from his mother and teacher.

Transitional stage for children to learn and grow I. Christianto, Contributor, Jakarta The number of preschools in the country continues to increase from day to day as more parents feel that such educational facilities are important for the next stage of their children's education. Preschools are not only designed as a place to take care of small children while their parents are working. They are certainly more than that.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, April 28, 2002 Exhibitions * Contemporary Artwork Minisalon, the National Gallery of Indonesia, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur 14, Gambir, Central Jakarta (Tel. 34833954), 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., until April 30. * Painting Tubuh + Tanda, Galeri Milenium, Diamond Plaza complex, Block B-23, Jl. R.S. Fatmawati No. 15, South Jakarta (Tel. 7507828), until April 30. * Lithographs, Engravings, Serigraphs: Affandi (and Kartika) S. Widjojo Bldg, Jl. Sudirman Kav.

Xanana makes UN debut as president Gerald Nadler, Associated Press, United Nations East Timor's president-elect Xanana Gusmao said his homeland would continue to need U.N. support even after it becomes independent on May 20. Xanana, who was elected in April to head the new state, thanked the UN Security Council on Friday for helping to lead East Timor to independence after a 24-year occupation by Indonesia.

'Eagle never teaches eaglets to fly too early' Soeryo Winoto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta There can be few issues as important to parents as the education of their children. Parents the world over want to provide their children with the best possible education, to give them every opportunity to succeed in life. But how young is too young to send children to school? That is a matter of some debate, with experts divided over the issue of preschools and play-groups.

'70s casinos a world away from today Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Only the blue tiles on the row of three shabby buildings on Jl. Kemenangan III in Glodok, West Jakarta, give a hint of their past. While others may have forgotten what used to stand on the spot, "Lao Tao" remembers. The 56 year old let out a sad sigh as he toured the former site of Taosebio, the first legalized casino during Ali Sadikin's tenure as governor in the late 1960s.

Emirates continues to fly high despite travel downturn after Sept.11 tragedy Flying Emirates, dubbed one of the best airlines in the world, is a pleasant adventure. The comfortable Boeing 777-300 was our ticket to exemplary service during our business class flight from Jakarta to Dubai. Emirates has no doubt played a significant role in boosting Dubai's tourism. Dubai has five million visitors a year and Emirates targets to help bring 15 million visitors in 2010.

TV Program: Sunday, April 28, 2002 TVRI 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News 7:30 Sports 8:30 Children's Program 9:30 Music 10:00 Children's Program 12:30 p.m. Comedy 2:00 Children's Program 4:00 Sports 6:00 News 7:00 Comedy 7:30 Music: Dansa Yo Dansa 9:00 News 9:30 Comic 10:00 Music: Rock and Round 12:30 a.m. Puppet Show TPI 5:30 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News 7:00 Cartoon 8:00 Home Sweet Home 8:30 Chinese Food 9:00 Entertainment News 10:00 Boxing 12:30 p.m.

Gus Dur bio fails to give full story Susanto Pudjomartono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Gus Dur: The Authorized Biography of Abdurrahman Wahid; By Greg Barton; Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte. Ltd.; Jakarta, 2002 Biographers know that they have their work cut out for them. The famous, even extroverts, have their ways of concealing their real selves from the intrusive public gaze. They wear different masks all the time, in public and in private.

For ads - focus issue -- April 28 Tutor Time: Where beautiful minds and hearts are affectionately molded and nurtured How do they do that? One of the treasured assets used by Tutor Time International Preschool and Kindergarten is their curriculum, known as P.R.E.P.

Stretch your body for greater flexibility The Jakarta Post Jakarta Stretching is an essential part of playing sport as it can prevent injury. Here are three simple stretching exercises from LifeSpa & Fitness Center that you can do before and after exercise. * Chest Find a wall or similar structure for resistance. Take an upright position and take a small step to the front so that your feet are about one meter apart. Make sure that you keep your feet parallel and your knees bent.

Learning process starts in early childhood Only a few of Indonesia's children experience the fun of early learning activities at kindergarten. Recent data from the Ministry of National Education reveals that only 2.13 million of the 12.23 million children aged between four and six years attend preschool. The low attendance of children in preschool is partly due to the fact that many people are unaware of the importance of kindergarten.

IMF approves $347m loan tranche for RI Anna Willard, Reuters, Washington, D.C. The International Monetary Fund said on Friday it had approved a US$347 million loan tranche for Indonesia, but waived several of the conditions under the $4.6 billion loan program to give the country more time to carry out the relevant reforms.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, April 28, 2002 Exhibitions * Contemporary Artwork Minisalon, the National Gallery of Indonesia, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur 14, Gambir, Central Jakarta (Tel. 34833954), 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., until April 30. * Painting Tubuh + Tanda, Galeri Milenium, Diamond Plaza complex, Block B-23, Jl. R.S. Fatmawati No. 15, South Jakarta (Tel. 7507828), until April 30. * Lithographs, Engravings, Serigraphs: Affandi (and Kartika) S. Widjojo Bldg, Jl. Sudirman Kav.

'I've enough in my career, now I want a family' Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Ulfa Dwiyanti possesses rare talent as a woman entertainer. Her congenial, fresh approach to dishing out ladles of laughter has made her the queen among emcees in the country, as well as a leading host of TV shows. Success for her is not about competing with others, including men. "That's not the point of emancipation.

Hamzah calls for release of Agus Annastashya Emmanuelle The Jakarta Post Jakarta Vice President Hamzah Haz called on the Philippine government on Saturday to release Agus Dwikarna if his arrest was in connection with a substantiated crime that he committed in Indonesia. "If his arrest was based on a crime that took place in Indonesia, there is no reason for the Philippine government to detain him there.