As one entered the little space, a flickering screen grabbed the attention. The intruder was forced to look down into what turned out to be the bottom of a cup (albeit in digital imagery form) filled with imaginary water. And lo, there at the bottom of the digital cup were some tea leaves. And so several viewers suddenly realized that the small space was meant to emulate a fortune-teller's booth, complete with heavy drapes and dim lighting to evoke mystery.

Questions have been raised about agribusiness group Wilmar's high-profile no-deforestation policy in light of its subsidiaries' continued destruction of rainforests in Pohuwato regency, Gorontalo.

There is something interesting when power begins with a story about words and coconut juice.

BEFORE and after the recent legislative elections and just ahead of the presidential polls, Muhammad Yusuf's workload doubled dramatically. This is because the data he must scrutinize at the Financial Transactions Reporting and Analysis Center (PPATK), where he is chairman, has also increased incrementally. The PPATK has found more suspicious financial and cash transactions based on reports from banks and finance companies. "The number has gone up by 20 to 25 percent compared to previous years," said Yusuf.

The Supreme Court has ordered the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to pay Syarifuddin Umar, a former judge at the Central Jakarta District Court, a Rp100 million fine. "The appellate council unanimously agreed to grant Syarifuddin's appeal and annul the Jakarta High Court's ruling, upholding the South Jakarta District Court's verdict," appellate council member Syamsull Maarif stated last week.

It was early in the morning when Ahmad Erani Yustika arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Wednesday last week. A lecturer at Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java, Ahmad had an important job: to act as moderator for the second presidential debate, scheduled for the night of Sunday, June 15, at the the Gran Melia Hotel in South Jakarta.

THE government's failure to control the sharp rise in energy prices has finally led to major problems. Five months before he steps down, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered massive budget cuts on 86 projects managed by ministries and state institutions. The difference this year in the annual tradition of simultaneous budget cuts is that there are details for every institution, and that the targeted savings total Rp100 trillion.

SMEAR campaigns attacking presidential candidates seem to be a feature of every election. This time, both Prabowo Subianto and Joko Widodo have been hit over religious issues. Prabowo was targeted when he started to appear in public attending prayers with prominent political supporters.

Disappointed with the Bogor Land Agency

For more than 20 years, Udin Hasanudin, a lecturer at the Lampung Agricultural Products University, studied the process of converting waste into energy. When renewable energy was not yet popular, he had already invented a machine which could turn tapioca waste into biogas. "When I offered my findings to the tapioca center at Pesawaran, Lampung in 1993, they rejected it," said 50-year-old Udin. At that time, fuel oil was still cheap. "They didn't want the hassle," Udin said.

The Social Security Administration Agency (BPJS) national healthcare program has been running for six months. Much has been done in that short time, but many problems still exist. the following are the mechanisms, regulations and figures related to BPJS Healthcare.

A NATIONAL POLICE investigator, Commissioner Ani Sa'ada, 53, was removed from her post after she was declared a suspect for abusing her authority in April. Her promotion has also been cancelled. "The promotion was my hope as retirement approached," Ani told Tempo last week.

OIL AND GAS
Pertamina to acQuire Canadian Gas Fields

A TEAM formed by Indonesian Army Chief of Staff Gen. Budiman quickly investigated a village development non-commissioned officer (NCO) who was accused of directing residents of Cideng, Central Jakarta, to vote for Prabowo Subianto. In just two days, the team concluded that Corporal Rusfandi, an NCO assigned to the Gambir 405th Military District Command, was guilty of canvassing voters by distributing campaign stickers of the Gerindra Party presidential candidate.

This year, Indonesia and India mark 75 years of diplomatic relations. However, the ties between the two nations have existed much longer, predating the establishment of the Republic of Indonesia and the Republic of India. These connections span social, cultural, religious, economic, and trade aspects. But do those close ties of the past have any bearing on the present relationship? Why is there no direct flight between the capitals of the two countries?

Indian Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Sandeep Chakravorty, shares his views on this matter at TEMPO TALKS.