In the early winter of 1956, when Ben Anderson was aged 20, something happenedsomething that changed the course of his life.

Lying in state at the Adi Jasa funeral home on Tuesday, December 15, Ben Anderson was clad in a brown-colored Madura batik shirt. "That's my batik shirt," said Sugito, the driver who always accompanied Anderson since 2009 whenever he toured East Java. Sugito wiped his tears and tenderly touched the edge of the laced cloth covering the coffin.

The name Iko Uwais began to grab public attention since his first film Merantau ('Sojourn') was screened in movie theaters around the country. Then, one after another, the films he starred in made it into the market, like The Raid: Redemption and The Raid 2: Berandal. Both films, directed by Gareth Evans, were quite successful in the United States and Europe.

Eni Lestari Andayani's cellphone never stops ringing. She might as well be a walking, talking call center. Almost every day, Eni, 36, takes between five to 15 calls or short messages through WhatsApp and Facebook. Like her, the callers are domestic workers holding jobs in Hong Kong. But to them, she has become the confidante whom they can pour out their grievances.

My last column was about word doubling in Indonesian, but it is such a rich topic that I thought a double column about doubling was in order.

The Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki appealed to the international community, including Indonesia, to act against Israeli aggression in Jerusalem. "More than 3,000 people are injured, half of them children. Israel has violated international law and human rights," he said in a press conference with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi in Gedung Pancasila in Jakarta last week.

IN Aceh, lashings are given for almost all transgressions by the general public. The unemployed who like to play dominoes, if unlucky enough to be caught gambling, can end up getting the cane. Public lashings also go to couples caught in the act.

Sarifuddin Sudding, a People's Conscience (Hanura) Party politician, cracked a joke last Tuesday during the fit-and-proper test of one of the candidates to head the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Basaria Panjaitan. "Actually, I would like to ask more questions, but I see Trimedya keeps looking at me. He's not even blinking," he said to the laughter of those present at the meeting. Trimedya Panjaitan, an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, only smiled weakly when his colleague cracked a joke at his expense.

The Financial Services Authority (OJK) and Bank Indonesia must immediately resolve the dispute between employees of the two important banking institutes. The conflict involving facilities demanded by OJK employees who originally came from Bank Indonesia is no light issue because it can be a threat to the continued existence of the OJK.

THE results of an audit conducted last June by the Jakarta Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) on the purchase of land owned by Sumber Waras Hospital caused quite a commotion. The BPK claims the purchase of the land, located in Grogol, West Jakarta, resulted in a loss of Rp191 billion.

Ruki's Right to Respond

IT is little surprise that the St. Francis of Assisi Church in Berastagi, North Sumatra, often makes it onto lists of Indonesia's 10 most beautiful churches. Built in 2005, the church boasts a distinctive architecture influenced by local Karo traditions.

TRANSPORTATION
Jokowi Defends Gojek

Welcome to the era of tighter dollars. Last Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve raised its interest rate by 0.25 percent. So, less amount of dollars is available to grease the emerging-market economies.

When Ade Komarudin attended the plenary session at the House of Representatives (DPR) last week, he realized he had become a special person. When he entered the Nusantara I building in the Senayan Complex, he was welcomed by many who rushed to congratulate him. The day before, the Golkar Party officially announced that he was chosen to replace Setya Novanto as speaker of the House.

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.