Drug kingpin arrested after spat THAILAND: Myanmar has arrested a drug kingpin as a sign it is cooperating with neighboring Thailand in the war on drugs, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Saturday. The arrest of the unnamed trafficker follows a spat over how to tackle the festering problem, highlighted by a deadly clash on Wednesday between Thai police and Myanmar drug traffickers followed by a letter from the Thai foreign ministry accusing Yangon of indifference.

Housewife arrested for drugs INDONESIA: A housewife was arrested carrying 1,950 ecstasy pills in her underwear at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang on Friday afternoon. This was the first drug arrest at the airport since police foiled an attempt by Brazilian Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira to smuggle 13.7 kilograms of cocaine into the country on Aug. 2.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, August 24, 2003 Exhibitions * Photo The Transfixed Spectator, by Kassian Cephas, Erasmus Huis, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Kav S-3, Kuningan, South Jakarta (Tel. 5241069), until Aug. 30. * Caricature Menafsir Kemerdekaan by Augustin Sibarani, Galeri Milenium, Diamond Plaza, Blok B-23, Jl. R.S. Fatmawati No. 15, South Jakarta (Tel. 7507828), until Aug. 31. Performances * Classic Ballet, Jazz and Modern Dance by Marlupi Dance Company, Gedung Kesenian Jakarta, Jl.

Parvathi Nayar: Recounting her 'passages' through art Carla Bianpoen Contributor Jakarta Parvathi Nayar's monograph Passages is as exceptional as the artist herself: a contemporary thinker, someone dubbed a new-Asia woman and an artist of the Renaissance generation.

No end in sight for GAM hostages The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Aceh Farida has spent much of her time reading the Koran and praying to God during the past two months. The Acehnese woman has not seen her husband and children since Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels captured her, her sister Soraya and two RCTI television crew intending to interview refugees in Peureulak, East Aceh on June 29.

Austrian robbed of Rp 60 million INDONESIA: A 45-year-old Austrian, Rudolf Lytner, was robbed by a gang of eight thieves at his house in Bogor, West Java, early on Saturday. The victim, who works at German-based PT Siemens distribution company, valued his losses at Rp 60 million (US$7,229). Local Police chief Adj. Comr. Sartono said that the burglary took place at around 3 a.m. by eight men who jumped over the fence and tied up two security guards at the security post.

Lessons to be learned Whether in a state-of-the-art classroom in the bustling capital, or a cramped, dirt-floor shack in some less developed corner of the archipelago, Indonesian children make the best of their situation and take their lessons seriously. Education is, after all, a way out of poverty, the proverbial broadening of one's horizons so that children can measure up in an increasingly competitive world.

Nh. Dini: A writer bravely bares her soul Lie Hua Contributor Jakarta A novelist weaves words into a mosaic of events to get across a particular message. The events are those that the novelist has gone through, observed or heard in daily life. Imaginary events make up the world of a novel in which the characters may or may not resemble real people.

Violent birth of new Papuan province Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Timika, Papua Violence erupted as hundreds of protesters attacked thousands parading in Timika in support of the controversial formal establishment of the new province of Central Irian Jaya. Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province, was officially split in three on Saturday, in a move opposed by many indigenous Papuans and widely seen as illegal.

Terrified senior citizens held hostage for a third day Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The violent attack on the century-old Pniel nursing home on Jl. Samanhudi in Central Jakarta apparently has not satisfied the unidentified attackers, who smashed their way in on Thursday and remain holed up there alongside dozens of terrified senior citizens. As of Saturday afternoon, some 30 men were still essentially occupying the compound, milling around ominously in the garden.

Thai police arrest more terror suspects Agencies, Bangkok/Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur Thai police have arrested five suspected terrorists including three Pakistanis and two Myanmar nationals in the northern province of Chiang Mai, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Saturday. "They were arrested because their suspicious behavior indicated they may have links with terrorists," Thaksin said in his weekly radio address.

Finding a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome Claudine Frederik The Jakarta Post Jakarta It is a very common health condition that disrupts the lives of sufferers, but too often irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) goes unrecognized by local physicians. As most of us are reluctant to discuss bowel habits, those with IBS often suffer in silence. Louise, who was recently diagnosed as an IBS patient at Citra Health Care Medical Center in Jakarta, described her ordeal of the last three months.

Muslim communities put fire into antismoking drive It has become the source of a good giggle at Langitan pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Tuban, East Java, the tale of a student who threw a cigarette butt on the floor of the toilet where he was sneaking a smoke. It causing a small fire and explosion, as well as minor burns to his bottom.

"Un-Islamic" hairstyles get razed MALAYSIA: Mohawk-style haircuts may be coming back in style, but officials in northeastern Malaysia have deemed them as "un- Islamic". Officials in Kelantan state, which is ruled by the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, ordered a 17-year-old teenager to shave off his red-dyed Mohawk earlier this week, The Star newspaper reported on Saturday.

Giving Bahasa Indonesia a say -- and some respect Local TV stations have long been known for their appetite for pretty indo (Eurasian) faces. If they can speak Indonesian relatively well, some Westerners also get parts in local soap operas or comedies, doing cameos with deliberately broad Indonesian accents. But, beware local actors: In the near future, it's likely that more foreigners will replace you and become TV stars.

Tobacco and poverty make for a deadly duo Santi W.E. Soekanto, Contributor, Jakarta santi_soekanto2001@yahoo.com For as long as 19-year-old "Mariah" can remember, her father has smoked cigarettes, often up to two packs a day. Even during the rainy season, when work for a well digger was scarce, her father spent more than Rp 10,000 for cigarettes.

TV Program: Sunday, Aug. 24, 2003 .TB.30" .90" TVRI 6:00 a.m. News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Cartoon 7:30 Documentary 9:00 Children's Program: Bando 11:00 Variety Show: Maskum Show 12:00 p.m. News: Berita Siang 12:30 Traditional Comedy: Mustika Campur Sari 2:00 Film 3:00 City News 3:30 Religious Teachings 4:00 Sports 5:00 Music 6:00 English News Service 7:00 News 8:00 Music: Dansa Yo Dansa 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 9:30 Film 11:30 Traditional Performances TPI 6:00 a.m.

Finding a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome Claudine Frederik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta It is a very common health condition that disrupts the lives of sufferers, but too often irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) goes unrecognized by local physicians. As most of us are reluctant to discuss bowel habits, those with IBS often suffer in silence. Louise, who was recently diagnosed as an IBS patient at Citra Health Care Medical Center in Jakarta, described her ordeal of the last three months.

Iranian twins' surgeon ponders what went wrong Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The world's attention turned to Singapore last month, hoping that the wish of Iranian conjoined twins Ladan and Laleh Bijani to be separated would come true. The historic attempt to separate the 29-year-old sisters who were joined at the head ended tragically when they died within 90 minutes of each other.

Medan offers whiff of the past amid traffic jams Peter Janssen, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Medan, North Sumatra Medan's Tip Top Restaurant has plenty of "tempo dulu" -- Indonesian for "times past" or "nostalgia" -- on the menu. Its canopied frontage, lazy ceiling fans, wood-finished decor and even the waiters' uniforms have changed little since the restaurant was opened in 1939 and quickly became a favorite hangout for Dutch planters and their wives.

Laluba (Part 2 of 2) Nukila Amal They've run short of men in the subdistrict. How strange; there are not enough men in this world, a world of theirs. The night of departure of more men. It was already late, but our village did not sleep. People packed for the trip. Women helped with anxious faces, children running around, supplies were put in piles like harvests of clove and copra. I stood at the beach, watching.