In that embattled territory, children were watching the Charlie Chaplin film, The Kid. They laughed uproariously. Their parents or older siblings were probably keeping watch on the border with their rifles cocked, but in Rojava, in the area of North Syria occupied by the Kurds, there was a pause in war, and people were building hope.

Attorney-General Prasetyo emerged carrying a copy of a three-week-old Tempo, bearing a picture of Surya Paloh on its cover. "I'm being persecuted," he said before throwing the magazine on the desk. Prasetyo burst out in frustration over the corruption case of North Sumatra social welfare funds and grants, in which he has been implicated. The case was Tempo's cover story that week.

According to Prasada Rao, ignorance has been the biggest barrier in dealing with the decades-old HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is why he speaks openly about the disease, freely discussing such topics as sex and sex education, which most Asians see as taboo, so that the social stigma attached to its victims can be erased, a first step in the prevention and treatment of the disease.

There was nothing more fascinating to five-year-old Josaphat Tetuko Sri Sumantyo than an array of defense systems in an air force base. His father, then a commander in the Special Task force used to take him to the base and then left him to wander alone. He was always drawn to the radar system at the base.

We had heard about an implausibly remote and isolated ecolodge called '4 Pohon'. We were told it was not for everyone, only for those looking for a bit of adventure. That's all we needed. Located in the northwest center of Flores between Pota and Riung, 4 Pohon is in the middle of a totally natural environment. Off a dirt track that feels like the very end of the road, only a small sign announced its presence to the occasional passing car or motorcycle carrying a cloud of dust in their wake.

Jennifer Lindsay

Seventeen seniors in white kebaya (traditional blouse) and chignons suddenly broke into Viva Ganefo, a 1963 song written by Asmoro to celebrate the Games of the New Emerging Forces (Ganefo), with gusto.

A new study finds that despite national-level conservation laws, lowland forests and peatlands in the Leuser ecosystem, a 2.6 million hectare block of pristine rainforest straddling the Sumatran provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, continue to be cleared by industrial palm companies.

Hot on the heels of the horrific terror attack in Paris, France, last week followed by the hostage-taking in Mali, regional issues such as the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community launch took a backstep.

The streets near Saint-Denis-Universit station were eerily deserted; the bus stop stood empty, even taxis were hard to find. The scene bore little resemblance to the area's usual hustle and bustle.

Debate among members on the House of Representatives' (DPR) Law Commission spread over a record-breaking three days last week as lawmakers struggled to come to consensus on the status of four of eight candidates for Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioner. "The selection committee did not work systematically," complained Taufiqulhadi, a commission member from the National Democratic (NasDem) faction.

The cooperation between Pertamina and Golden Spike Indonesia has not worked well. So far, it has only resulted in a few hundred barrels of oil per day, yet the Central Jakarta District court has ordered the state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina to pay Golden Spike trillions of rupiah in damages. So Pertamina's decision to take the case back to court as a cassation is appropriate.

THE International Peoples' Tribunal, held in Nieuwe Kerk, the Netherlands, two weeks ago to address human rights violations committed in Indonesia during the violent events of 1965-1966 might have been nonbinding. It did, however, help bring some of the atrocities committed 50 years ago out of the shadows and into the light.

A Message for the Foreign Affairs Minister

The market is tired of guessing and waiting in vain. When will the US Federal Reserve (the Fed) raise its interest rates? This mist of uncertainty slightly cleared after the Fed disclosed the minutes of its October meeting last Wednesday. The hawkish camp that wants an interest hike in December has gained a stronger hold.

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.