Now Showing The Soul (Horror/Thriller, 90 minutes) Starring Marcella Zalianty, Iqbal M. Pakula, Ananda George, David Rene. Directed by Nayato Fionuala.Frustratingly ridiculous Indonesian horror flick which tries too hard to be stylish to make up for a pedestrian script.

Asian youths share thoughts on regional futureKurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Bangkok When the four Indonesian students concluded their shadow puppet play, the audience -- from several Asian countries -- in the ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel in Bangkok had just experienced a real taste of...

Ban slapped on processed U.S. beefFitri Wulandari and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The government has banned the import of processed beef products from the United States indefinitely and instructed importers to withdraw the commodity from market shelves immediately to prevent...

Fashion 2003: An elegant show of force from local designersMuara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta The past year gave reason for optimism in the fashion community. No fewer than 10 designers showed annual collections, a remarkable development since the monetary crisis hit the country in mid-1997.

PDI-P submits list of legislative candidatesMuninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) handed its list of legislative candidates to the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Saturday, becoming the first party to submit the names...

Egyptian people trafficker jailed EGYPT: A Cairo court sentenced an Egyptian man to seven years in prison on Saturday for his role in the drowning of some 353 migrants on an overcrowded vessel in the Java Sea as they tried to reach Australia in 2001.

Army vehicle rams minibus, kills 18Slamet Susanto and Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta/Purwokerto An armored military vehicle crashed into a public transportation minibus on Saturday in Temanggung regency in Central Java, killing 18 people and injuring seven others.

Don't fall into the peril of 'pembantuism'Jaqueline Mackenzie, Contributor, Jakarta Leaving aside bombs and bad air, there are many things to love about being an expat mother and homemaker -- "housewife" if you must -- in Jakarta.

Two Thais among coalition troops slain in spate of Iraq attacksAgencies, Karbala, Iraq Armed with car bombs, mortars and machine guns, insurgents launched three coordinated attacks in the southern city of Karbala on Saturday, killing four coalition soldiers, six Iraqi police officers and one...

Indonesians drown as ship sinks JAPAN: Four Indonesian sailors died and two were missing off the Japanese coast on Saturday after their boat sank in rough seas, the coast guard said.The Panamanian-registered Marina Iris sent a distress signal at around 1:40 a.m.

Two Thais among coalition troops slain in Iraq attacksAgencies Karbala, IraqArmed with car bombs, mortars and machine guns, insurgents launched three coordinated attacks in the southern city of Karbala on Saturday, killing four coalition soldiers, six Iraqi police officers and one civilian,...

Indonesians celebrate Christmas far from homePrapti Widinugraheni, Contributor, Perth, Australia T'was two weeks before Christmas. Fairy lights adorn streets and houses, schools prepare end-of-year shows, holidays are planned and every commercial outlet promises the most spectacular Christmas event...

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, December 28, 2003Exhibitions* Photo: Fratelli Alinari Italy: The One and Only - a Century of Phtography 1900/2000, National Museum, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No. 12, Central Jakarta (Tel. 3812346, 3868172), Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., until Jan. 6.

Auction house makes name for itself in S'poreCarla Bianpoen, Contributor, Singapore It seems that the Indonesian auction house Larasati is rapidly making an impression on the international art market in Singapore.

Martha Tilaar brings 'jamu' to the worldDavid Kennedy, Contributor, Jakarta, d_kenn@yahoo.com When Martha Tilaar reflects on the harm caused by the modern search for physical beauty, the 66-year-old queen of her own Indonesian spa and beauty empire seems particularly worried about the growth of...

Foreign teams aid Iran quake rescuersParisa Hafezi, Reuters, Bam, Iran International rescue workers were scouring flattened debris for survivors in Iran's shattered ancient Silk Road city of Bam on Saturday after a violent earthquake killed more than 20,000 people.U.S. President George W.