'Asereje' craze is, thankfully, over M. Taufiqurrahman The Jakarta Post Jakarta It started to get really nauseating, but who knows perhaps hearing Asereje live would give another meaning to the song. So, there was not much expectation in coming to the concert of the Spanish (overnight) sensation, Las Ketchup, but wanting to -- as Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys put it -- have fun, fun, fun. Alas, the Munoz sisters, Lola, Lucia and Pilar, did not even give a iota of it.

~ The Population Institute in Washington, the United States, invited The Jakarta Post's Rita A. Widiadana, as one of 13 international recipients of Global Media Awards 2002 for Excellence in Population Writing, to participate in a ten-day study tour in Cuba from Dec. 1 through Dec. 10, 2002. The Post's reports from Cuba's capital of Havana are presented in the following articles.

Nyoman sees batik as meditation Damaso Reyes Contributor Ubud, Bali There may be as many places to learn batik, the traditional Indonesian hand-dyed textile, as there are places to eat nasi goreng, Indonesian fried rice. However, it is hard to imagine a batik class that is more fun than the one at the compound of I Nyoman Suradnya in Ubud, Bali.

Government critized over SARS inaction The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Despite the rapid spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the government appears to be slow in containing the epidemic, even though it has been declared a national threat. Worse still, health officials are refusing to provide the exact number of suspected cases, raising fears among the public at large the government is covering up the extent of the outbreak.

Death toll in Flores floods, landslides reaches 56 Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara The death toll from floods and landslides in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara has risen to 56 people, while 28 others are still unaccounted for, a local government official said on Saturday. East Nusa Tenggara spokesman Johanis Bastian Kosapilawan said in the provincial capital of Kupang that 31 people had been found dead in Ende regency, 15 in Sikka and 10 in the East Flores regency.

Police are smugglers: Megawati Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Semarang President Megawati Soekarnoputri has instructed National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar to take strong action against personnel involved in smuggling activities. "I have received many reports of police involvement in smuggling activities. Pak Da'i, I ask you to put an end to such practices," Megawati told the National Police chief.

Cuba's tourism survives U.S. embargo Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Havana In this globalized world where America's food and pop culture dominate almost everywhere you turn, it seems strange not to find an outlet of a popular American chain in a country where tourism is one of its strong economic pillars. Welcome to Cuba: a country without any sign of the golden arches -- the symbol of McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Starbucks, Burger King or Planet Hollywood.

Fascinating Siti willing to try new frontiers Novan Iman Santosa The Jakarta Post Jakarta The cute, lovely Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza has been around for about eight years and is now looking for new challenges, including song writing and even trying theater performances, especially musical ones. With five pop albums and another four traditional Malay albums already in her hands, no doubt Siti has extensive experience in the industry, including song writing.

Wibisono heads APEC's terrorism task force Agencies, Singapore A senior Indonesian diplomat, Makarim Wibisono, has been appointed to head a counter-terrorism task force of the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the group's secretariat said on Saturday. Wibisono, 57, a former Indonesian permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), said the task force will coordinate efforts by APEC and other international organizations to combat the terrorist threat.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, April 6, 2003 Exhibitions * Painting, Milestones Of Modesty, by I Made Djirna, at Graha Paramita Building, Jl. Denpasar Raya Blok D 2 Kav. 8, Kuningan, South Jakarta, (Tel. 021-5265161, Ext:852), until April 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. * Painting, Kaum Urbanit Cap Go Meh 2003, by Hardi, at Galeri Milenium, Kompleks Pertokoan D'Best (Diamond Plaza) Blok B23, Jl.RS Fatmawati 15, South Jakarta, (Tel. 021-7507828), until April 30, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Competitive intelligence the key to survival Competitive Intelligence: Piranti Strategis Memenangkan Persaingan Global (Competitive Intelligence: strategic instrument to win global competition), Taryanto, et al., Multi Utama Indojasa, 2003, 106 pp Rarely has there been a book that deals with intelligence operations in Indonesia. This book therefore earns a special place on the shelf in view of the great difficulty in finding publications on competitive intelligence here.

'Biola Tak Berdawai' not all stringless Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Biola Tak Berdawai. Drama **1/2 (out of four stars). Starring Ria Irawan, Nicholas Saputra, Jajang C. Noer, Dicky Lebrianto. Directed by Sekar Ayu Asmara. Produced by Kalyana Shira Film (In Bahasa Indonesia). There must be a purpose beyond anything that God creates, people say. So how, exactly, to explain the existence of multihandicapped children? As a reminder to the able-bodied of how fortunate they are?

For Islam, suicide attacks legitimate self-defense Michel Sailhan, Agence France-Presse, Cairo While Islam universally bans suicide as a crime against oneself, it allows it in defense of Muslims and their land, and celebrates as "martyrs" those who make the sacrifice. The Arabic term for kamikaze-style acts is not "suicide attacks" but "martyr operations," underscoring that they fall under the Muslims' sacred duty to wage jihad, or holy war, when they come under attack.

TV Program: Sunday, April 6, 2003 TVRI 5:03 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News: Berita Pagi 7:00 English New Service 7:30 Children's Program: Pentas Ceria 8:00 DRTV Indonesia 8:30 Variety Show: Arena Kece 9:00 Children's Program: Media Kids 9:30 Bando 10:30 TV Drama: Rumah Kita 11:00 Variety Show: Maskum Show 12:00 p.m.News: Berita Siang 12:30 Traditional Comedy: Mustika Campur Sari 2:00 Entertainment 2:30 Cempala 3:30 Religious Teachings 4:00 Sports 5:00 Entertainment 6:00 News: Berita Petang...

Antiwar protests continue in Indonesia The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Protests against the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies continued across the country on Saturday with calls for an immediate end to the war that has claimed hundreds of innocent lives, including women and children. In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, about 3,000 people, mostly students from Muhammadiyah, the nation's second- largest Muslim organization, gathered at the Mandala Monument on Jl. Jend.