Swiss group to own 74.5% of Semen Cibinong JAKARTA (JP): The Swiss-based cement group Holcim Ltd., formerly known as Holderbank Financiere Glaris Ltd., plans to raise its stake to 74.

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Church faces choice between self-confidence, rigid conservatism By Matthias Drobinski MUNICH (DPA): In the high places of the Vatican, the wriggling and jockeying over the cardinals' consistory that has been meeting there since Monday has already begun.

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JP/10/caption JP/Alex LumiAUTOMOTIVE MEETING: Publicly listed PT Astra International president Theodore P. Rachmat (center) talks to vice president Budi Setiadharma (right), as chief commissioner A.R. Ramly looks on.

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German Chancellor, foreign minister vie to control foreign policyBy Nikolaus Blume BERLIN (DPA): The tension between Germany's chancellor's office and its foreign ministry spawned by a recent serious breach of protocol comes right in the middle of a creeping redistribution of foreign policy ...

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Govt economic policies The Jakarta Post's comment about our country's problems and the government's economic team's performance in an editorial titled Bitter medicine on May 17, contains a number of factual errors.

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French 'The Crimson Rivers' an intriguing rideBy Joko E.H. Anwar ___________________________________________________________________________The Crimson Rivers *** (Out of ****) Thriller/Crime/Mystery, 105 minutes Starring Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel, Nadia Fares, Dominique Sanda, Didier ...

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Govt economic policies The Jakarta Post's comment about our country's problems and the government's economic team's performance in an editorial titled Bitter medicine on May 17, contains a number of factual errors.

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Sinar Mas ready to swap assets pledged to IBRA JAKARTA (JP): The Sinar Mas Group said on Wednesday it was willing to replace assets pledged as collateral to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA), if the asset pledge violated capital market regulations.

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Charity concert a celebration of Verdi's greatnessBy Y. Bintang Prakarsa JAKARTA (JP): In observance of the centenary anniversary of the death of Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), the Mines and Energy Society Bimasena will hold a concert presenting the composer's celebrated operatic pieces.

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A spent Vajpayee comes under siege By Nirmal Ghosh NEW DELHI: Atal Behari Vajpayee, seen widely as the only conservative and credible leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -- and as such, the only acceptable face as Prime Minister -- has been weakened by the defense and other corruption ...

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TV Program: Friday, May 25, 2001TVRI .tb .30" .90" 5:00 a.m. Religious Teachings6:00 News8:00 Children's Program9:00 Women's Program10:00 Music11:00 Travel12:00 p.m.

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Intifada's end the impossible first step of the Mitchell report By Christian Chaise JERUSALEM (AFP): Despite the positive reception for the Mitchell report by both the Israelis and Palestinians, its implementation, requiring before anything else an immediate and unconditional halt to the ...

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Back to basics in monetary policy This is the first of two articles on monetary policy by Tubagus Feridhanusetyawan, senior economist and head of economic affairs at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Jakarta.

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Garuda to resume flights to Fukuoka in July JAKARTA (JP): National flagship carrier PT Garuda Indonesia will resume its international flights to Fukuoka early in July to take advantage of the growing demand for travel to this Japanese city.

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Attitude is not everything at Neu Diva bar JAKARTA (JP): Don't be fooled by the name. No self-respecting diva would be caught dead in the Neu Diva bar, plunking her well- toned fanny down on the ratty couch and resting her immaculately clad feet on the cracked and stained concrete floor.

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China sees double insult from Chen and Dalai U.S. visit By Phil Chetwynd BEIJING (AFP): The warm welcome being given to the Dalai Lama and Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian in the United States will be seen as a calculated insult by China which detests both men, analysts said.

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The military and politics Indonesians can sigh a deep breath of relief; the threat of a direct confrontation between the embattled President Abdurrahman Wahid on one side and the military, or TNI, and the House of Representatives on the other has been averted -- for now.

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Astra to hedge 20% of debts as 1Q losses surge JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed auto manufacturer PT Astra International plans to hedge up to 20 percent of its US$800 million in debts, as the rupiah sent its first quarter net loss to Rp 515 billion (about $45.

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Where to go in Jakarta: Friday, May 25, 2001Exhibitions * Advertising Postcards, Gallery RPC, Jl. Suryo 8 Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, until May 31. * Modern Indonesian Literature, Galeri Lontar, Jl. Utan Kayu 68H, East Jakarta (Phone: 8573388), May 31.

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Iraq plays oil-for-food card in sanctions standoff By Peg Mackey DUBAI (Reuters): Iraq's sabre rattling over the smart sanctions proposal by Britain and the United States has oil dealers on edge but not yet at panic stations.

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China fears repeat of Reagan strategy By Ching Cheong SINGAPORE: The recent downturn in Sino-American relations has made the Chinese refocus their attention on U.S. policies that led to the downfall of the former Soviet Union.This is because they find stark similarities in the policies of U.S.

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10 years on, cracks appear in Lebanese-Syrian relations By Ali Jaber and Anne-Beatrice Clasmann BEIRUT (DPA): Ten years after Lebanon and Syria signed a Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Coordination unease about relations between the two countries is becoming more visible.

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Summitplast to open third plastic factory next month JAKARTA (JP) : Publicly listed plastic component producer PT Summitplast Interbenua will commence next month the operation of its third factory at its industrial compound in the Lippo Cikarang industrial estate in West Java.

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Jazz duo Tuck & Patti make beautiful music on and off stage ____________________________________________________________ Singapore hummed to the beat of jazz last weekend during the first Singapore International Jazz Festival.

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Sentencing of US-Egyptian activist cripples rights work in Egypt By Peter King CAIRO (AFP): As U.S.

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