A trip to the Holy Land Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Jerusalem, Israel Despite the absence of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Israel, the government has relaxed restrictions on visiting the Holy Land. It is quite common to read advertisements from various travel agents in Indonesian media promoting pilgrimages to Israel, whether "Celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem" or "Observe Easter in Jerusalem".

Cayung bridges cultural divisions Cynthia Webb, Contributor, New York City From a family in which a career in the arts was frowned upon, Cayung Siagian has found success in a land far from home, but he is still a North Sumatra boy at heart. Cayung Siagian is one of the huge number of Indonesians sharing their rich cultural heritage with others around the planet.

Quake victims laid low by disease Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Alor At least 811 people have been treated for various diseases including diarrhea, malaria and respiratory ailments in Alor, East Nusa Tenggara, raising fears of disease outbreaks in the quake-stricken regency. Alor health office head Paul Manumpil warned on Saturday that more quake victims were likely to fall ill as thousands of them were still staying in open spaces and mountain slopes.

Indonesian nuns and priests make good envoys Endy M. Bayuni, The Jakarta Post, Santiago An ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the good of his country, the saying goes. Fransiskus Kama and Sister Ni Ketut will definitely not tell a few untruths for Indonesia, but they still make good ambassadors for their country here in Chile.

Sailor in hot water over weapons find INDONESIA: An Australian sailor arrested after Indonesian police seized guns and ammunition on his boat will be charged with illegally possessing firearms -- an offense that carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in jail, a police spokesman said on Saturday. Christopher Packer, 52, was arrested on Friday on his boat off Bali, said Col. Anthonius Reniban.

Fast-food giant starts drive for needy children Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The assumption may be that fast-food restaurants merely see children as a lucrative market for their products, but at least one is raising funds for disadvantaged children to access basic education and quality books. In conjunction with World's Children Day on Nov. 20, McDonald's Indonesia has joined its head office's international program to help children -- the third time since 2002.

RI maid suing HK employer: Report HONG KONG: An Indonesian maid is suing her former Hong Kong employer for allegedly beating and forcing her to work 21 hours a day without pay, a newspaper reported on Saturday. Sulistyoningsih Faridha filed court papers on Friday to seek unspecified damages from Karen Mak, according to the South China Morning Post. Sulistyoningsih alleged in the documents that Mak repeatedly pinched, scratched and assaulted her while she was working for Mak in 2002.

Keeping to tradition While much of the simpler, true meaning of the post-fasting month holiday of Idul Fitri has been lost in modern urban centers, it lives on in small communities not so far from big cities like Jakarta. In Kampung Bulakan in Bitung Jaya, Tangerang, Banten, locals continue to uphold the traditions of their forefathers, including setting off fireworks, an activity prohibited in other areas.

Bali welcomes world's practical shooters Six days and counting, Bali, Indonesia, here we come. The 28th General Assembly of the practical shooting sports organizing body and the 2004 AustralAsia Shooting Championship will run from Nov. 27 to Dec. 4 in Pulau Serangan, Bali. Along with these two events, Indonesia will also host the first ever Level Three Shotgun Match.

Indonesian nuns and priests make good envoys abroad Endy M. Bayuni, The Jakarta Post, Santiago An ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the good of his country, the saying goes. Fransiskus Kama and Sister Ni Ketut will definitely not tell a few untruths for Indonesia, but they still make good ambassadors for their country here in Chile.

Yanking the 'iconic' three-wheelers from the streets Eric Unmacht and Sukino Harisumarto, Deutsche Press-Agentur/Jakarta In the period between the fall of man-powered public transport and the rise of cleaner, more efficient mass transit, one can usually find on city streets in Asia some sort of two-stroke engine on wheels that looks bad, smells bad and sounds bad, but nevertheless gets residents from A to B, however recklessly.

Savvy, discerning students shop for college Hariati Azizan, The Star/ANN/Malaysia Any economist will tell you that in a buyer's market the consumer is king. With over 600 private and public institutions of higher learning to choose from in Malaysia, it is no surprise that students are more discerning.

Cayung bridges cultural divisions with art Cynthia Webb, Contributor, New York City From a family in which a career in the arts was frowned upon, Cayung Siagian has found success in a land far from home, but he is still a North Sumatra boy at heart. Cayung Siagian is one of the huge number of Indonesians sharing their rich cultural heritage with others around the planet.

Susilo, Howard vow to address security issues Endy Bayuni, The Jakarta Post, Santiago President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister John Howard agreed on Friday to address concerns about defense and security matters to prevent possible misunderstandings in the future.

Making sense of RI's business climate Arya B. Gaduh, Contributor, Jakarta Business in Indonesia: New Challenges, Old Problems Editors: M. Chatib Basri and Pierre van der Eng ISEAS Publications, 2004 276 pp Suppose you can bring a single book on Indonesia on a desert island vacation; what would it be? For me, it probably would not be Business in Indonesia -- this is no vacation book.

Reading matters for Winfred Hutabarat Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A Yale graduate who has found his place in the world of books, Winfred Hutabarat wants others to return to the printed page even in the age of the Net. Sporting a long-sleeved striped white shirt over jeans and sneakers, and with his clean, boyish look, Winfred Hutabarat could have been mistaken for one of the hip young adults working at Aksara bookstore in Kemang, South Jakarta.

Trim the fat the old-fashioned way The day after the second day of the post-fasting month holiday of Idul Fitri, I was already bored. So I did what other city folks do when they have a full week's vacation on their hands. I went to a mall. Sad, I know. But anything other than another hour of an E! Celebrity Yearbook special sounds good enough. At the mall, my weight-conscious pal and I were confronted by the fact that Jakartans, and probably other big city dwellers, are getting, well, larger.

Indonesian impulses of de Romanes' works Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta The island of Bali has been a particular haven for many foreign artists who sought inspiration from what they considered an almost forgotten world. But Agostino de Romanes (b. 1947) went beyond all that.

Diarrhea incidence surges after holidays Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar Dozens of people, mostly children, have died over the recent Idul Fitri holidays across the country after suffering from serious diarrhea.

Hopes, doubts greet film festival return Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta It could be of the gigantic upswept hairdos, the Citra trophy or autograph hunting, but those born before the 1980s are likely to recollect the Indonesian Film Festival (FFI). That recollection may include its significance in cultivating and influencing public opinion on quality local films during its heyday in the 1970s and '80s.

Hot under the collar with spicy Acehnese food Suryatini N. Ganie, Contributor, Jakarta The some who like it hot should head to Aceh, try their hand at a few of the local recipes, for that pack a powerful punch. Situated on the northwesternmost extreme of Sumatra, the region of Aceh, now called Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, has long been known for its fertile land. This attracted foreign traders to make its harbors their port of call when trading in Far Eastern commodities.

Respect still in short supply for short films Admittedly, expectations were low before seeing the entries of the short film competition for the upcoming Indonesian Film Festival (FFI). Although it has never really faded from view, and notwithstanding its "boom" at the end of the 1990s, the local short film scene is still pretty much a could-have-been.

Reading matters for Winfred Hutabarat Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A Yale graduate who has found his place in the world of books, Winfred Hutabarat wants others to return to the printed page even in the age of the Net. Sporting a long-sleeve striped white shirt over jeans and sneakers, and with his clean, boyish look, Winfred Hutabarat could have been mistaken for one of the hip young adults working at Aksara bookstore in Kemang, South Jakarta.

Two Poso men released, no link to terror bomb found Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu The two men arrested on suspicion of involvement in the Pasar Sentral bomb attack in Poso, Central Sulawesi on Nov. 13 were released on Friday night as police investigators cited a lack of evidence to link them with the fatal attack. Poso police chief Adj. Comr.

Plain and simple with tropical charm Maria Endah Hulupi, Contributor, Jakarta A tropical style home in leafy surroundings that did not require continual upkeep was the dream house of one Bandung family. Standing on 450 square meters of land, this simple tropical house has all the qualities the owners ask for -- simplicity and low maintenance. Located in a housing complex in Bandung, it was designed in such a way so it stands in the center of the plot, surrounded by garden.

Where to go in Jakarta: Sunday, November 21, 2004 Exhibitions * Fine Arts Agoes Jolly Sendiri, Galeri Cipta II, Taman Ismail Marzuki Jl. Cikini Raya 73, Central Jakarta, Nov. 24 to Dec. 4. * Painting Rediscovering Indonesia by Italian Maestro Agostino De Romanis, Gedung Arsip Nasional (the National Archive Building), Jl. Gajah Mada 111, Central Jakarta, (Tel. 6347744), 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Nov. 23 to Dec. 7.