S'pore moves step closer toward casino SINGAPORE: Singapore has taken another step toward a casino resort by hiring a consulting firm to assist in obtaining proposals from gaming and resort operators for the controversial scheme, a news report said Saturday. The hiring of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) indicated the government is now dealing with the finer details of a mega-resort on Sentosa Island or Marina South, The Straits Times said.

'Gegen Die Wand' a deep, dark gem Paul F. Agusta, Contributor/Jakarta Imagine a life in which the only options appear to be a lifetime of bondage or an uncertain existence as an object of contempt. This is the choice that Sibel refuses to make in Gegen Die Wand, a film by German-Turkish director Fatih Akin.

Turning a page on a new world In a society where brandishing a new cell phone is what many consider one of the important things in life, twin sisters Rosi and Rian know the wealth that lies in a good book. Last week, at the behest of the community of Kijang Island in Riau, they opened a Kartini Reading Park in the remote area.

Shooting tourney ends, RI team misses medals Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Sanur, Bali The eighth-day of the AustralAsia Shooting and Indonesian Shotgun Championship 2004 concluded on Saturday with local shooters managing to compete with their world-class counterparts but failing to win medals. During the event, Indonesian hopeful Roy Heryanto ended up in 14th place in the open category, while Glen Clifton Apfel finished seventh in the revolver class.

Exhibit comes full circle through elements of life Chisato Hara, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Installation art may confound potential exhibition visitors as to how to approach the seemingly esoteric art form, which typically combines a variety of techniques and materials, including everyday objects, into a three-dimensional, spatial work. Grace Siregar, whose Weather, Tragedy, Life opened on Friday at Bentara Budaya in South Jakarta, and will run until Dec.

Poland -- A solid partner for Indonesia Poland was the first country in Central and Eastern Europe to embark upon the breakthrough transition from a planned economy to a market system. This transition began under the extremely difficult conditions of high inflation, a scarcity of consumer goods and highly concentrated production. The Polish economy entered the 1990s as the weakest in Central Europe. It emerged in the new millennium as one of the strongest.

Another big shopping season Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta After being crowded by shoppers purchasing goods for the Idul Fitri celebration, stores in shopping malls are now gearing up for another big shopping season. Although there are still several more weeks to go until the Christmas and New Year holidays, the atmosphere of Christmas is beginning to be felt, with Christmas trees and colorful ornaments decorating the interiors of several modern shopping malls.

Calm prevails on GAM anniversary Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post/Banda Aceh Amid stepped-up security measures imposed by the civil emergency administration, conditions in strife-torn Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam remained relatively calm on the 28th anniversary of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) on Saturday. Defying an order issued by GAM leaders that the Acehnese stay at home between 6 a.m.

The affair Yenni Djahidin The phone kept ringing. Sleepily, Melati picked up the receiver. She glanced at the clock on the night stand; it was almost one in the morning. She said something and then heard someone speaking rapidly at the other end. "Please, can you talk slowly," she pleaded. She soon realized it was her sister-in-law, Mimi. Mimi said father had been taken to the hospital after falling from a ladder.

Jakarta, a shopping paradise for all T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor/Jakarta During the weekend, when most offices are closed, shopping malls become exceedingly crowded. Thousands of people -- adults and children, men and women -- pack the malls while many others are turned away because the parking is full. And now that the Christmas and New Year holidays are drawing near, people are doing even more shopping than usual.

Part 2 of Polan-1 Poland - Indonesia economic relations Indonesia is an important trade partner of Poland in the Southeast Asian region. Reciprocal trade shows a steady growth tendency. According to Polish statistical data, in 1998 trade reached a value of US$208 million, in 2000, US$219 million, in 2002, US$240 million and in 2003, US$285 million. During the last decade, the trade balance has traditionally been in favor of Indonesia.

Nine die as flooding swamps Blitar Iman D. Nugroho and Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post/Surabaya Nine people have been killed during flooding over the past three days in Blitar regency, East Java province, and as yet there is no sign of when the flooding will subside as rain was still falling on the area on Saturday. Meanwhile, various ailments have started affecting the people who have been taking refuge on higher ground since Thursday, sparking concern among local residents.

Biyan's bridal breathtaker shouts 'I do' Hera Diani , The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Always known for his supremely feminine, feel-good designs, Biyan has now turned his attention to bridal wear, with a typically outstanding collection for the big day. For a bride-to-be, picking the right wedding dress is probably the most fun amid the usually chaotic and often misogynistic wedding preparations.

ICMC = Advertorial Overcoming Past Traumas The horrifying images on television depicting bombing victims in Poso, Sulawesi, made Larasati's heart beat faster. Perspiring profusely, the 30-year-old woman felt weak. Pictures of her own agony flashed painfully in her mind. They were of days when she was treated in hospital few years ago for wounds suffered in a bomb explosion in Jakarta. She was leaving her office when the bomb exploded.

Acehnese silks in Paris show of textiles Kunang Helmi, Contributor/Paris The book cover and poster of Luminous Silks feature a visually striking late 19th century shoulder cloth from Aceh. In deep indigo purple silk, it is bordered by stylized tumpal motif in gold thread. It is but one among 85 Asian textiles currently exhibited at Musee Guimet in Paris until Feb. 5, 2005.

Antique house a window into the past Susanna Tjokro, Contributor/Singapore Passing through the traditional swing doors of Katong Antique House, I felt as if time had stood still. It's impossible not to be awed by the beautiful works of art scattered throughout the antique house-cum-museum.

Now showing Brownies (Romance/Comedy, 108 minutes) Starring Marcella Zalianty, Bucek, Arie K. Untung, Elmayana Sabrenia, Philip Jusuf- Jauw. Directed by Hanung Bramantyo. Disjointed scenes are forcibly jumbled into a paper-thin story about a woman who tries to make a perfect batch of brownies. When she meets a man who can make delicious brownies before the movie reaches its second half, the filmmakers desperately try to come up with conflicts to keep them apart but fail miserably.

Tenzer gets word out about Balinese music abroad Maggie Tiojakin, Contributor/Boston In today's MTV era, where Britney Spears' on-again, off-again romances often become the center of world attention, the country's traditional music is about as popular as the textbooks that mention it. Outside of the country's national borders, however, Indonesian traditional music has sparked an unexpectedly wide range of international interest. Hard to believe, but true.

Exhibit comes full circle through elements of life Chisato Hara The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Installation art may confound potential exhibition visitors as to how to approach the seemingly esoteric art form, which typically combines a variety of techniques and materials, including everyday objects, into a three-dimensional, spatial work. Grace Siregar, whose Weather, Tragedy, Life opened on Friday at Bentara Budaya in South Jakarta, and will run until Dec.

Indonesian food gets a modern makeover Broto Dharma, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Indonesian food is still finding it tough going in making the transition from its traditional domain of the home and the sidewalk stall to a more upmarket setting. Cengkeh is one of a group of new eateries out to change all that.

TV Program: Sunday, December 5, 2004 .TB.30" .90" TVRI 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings 6:00 News: Berita Pagi 7:00 Documentary 7:30 Children Show 9:00 Music: Delta 10:30 Sports: Antar Gelanggang 11:00 TV Drama 12:30 p.m. English for Fun 1:00 News: Berita Siang 3:00 English News Service 4:30 Documentary 5:00 Robocon 6:30 Documentary 7:00 News: Berita Nasional 8:00 TV Drama 9:00 Italian League (Live) 10:30 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 11:00 Traditional Performance: Cempala TPI 5:00 a.m.

Newmont CEO calls accusations 'unfounded' Lely T. Djuhari, Associated Press/Jakarta The chief executive officer of Newmont Mining insisted on Saturday that the U.S. company's gold-mining operations did not pollute a bay in central Indonesia and said it would continue to seek business here.

Exhibit comes full circle through elements of life Chisato Hara The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Installation art may confound potential exhibition visitors as to how to approach the seemingly esoteric art form, which typically combines a variety of techniques and materials, including everyday objects, into a three-dimensional, spatial work. Grace Siregar, whose Weather, Tragedy, Life opened on Friday at Bentara Budaya in South Jakarta, and will run until Dec.

Interfaith dialog vital in dealing with religious radicalism Late last week, prominent Muslim scholars from Southeast Asia gathered in Jakarta to attend a meeting organized by the International Center for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP). Among the conclusions of the meeting was that spreading Islamic teachings (dakwah) did not necessarily entail conversion, and could in fact open up the possibility of interfaith dialog. The Jakarta Post's M. Taufiqurrahman spoke with ICIP executive director M.

Festival gives arena to all Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta As the sun passed overhead into afternoon on Saturday, hundreds of people swarmed Jl. Sumenep in Menteng, Central Jakarta, to enjoy the two-day Street Art Festival. Feature performances offered mostly street bands singing original songs about the poor, injustice and other thematic renditions of their lives, with key messages regarding globalization. "The event provides space for artists, some of them street musicians, to perform.

JP/13/fuel The Jakarta Post Jakarta Bank Indonesia is asking the government to carefully consider the timing of its plan to raise domestic fuel prices next year, so as to keep its effect on the country's inflation rate within manageable limits. "I agree with recent suggestions that the hike be done during harvest time," the central bank's deputy governor Hartadi Sarwono said on Friday.

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