Gazing at the dozens of students gathered, Gus Reza told the story of a blind Jewish woman who reviled the Prophet Muhammad on a daily basis. Gus Reza, whose full name is Kiai Haji Reza Ahmad Zahid, was sitting cross-legged on the mosque's porch area at the Al-Mahrusiyah Islamic boarding school in Kediri, East Java, on the second day of the Ramadan fasting month. Whenever someone approached, said Reza continuing the story, the blind beggar woman who lived in a corner of the market in Medina spread hatred so that people would not believe in Muhammad's message. "Muhammad is a liar, a magician," said the woman, as told by Reza.

TRANSPORTATION
Five Toll Roads To Open Temporarily

AN 18-meter-high Garuda statue is planned to reach skywards at the entrance to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at Tangerang, Banten. Created by sculptor I Nyoman Nuarta, the work was shown to airport operator Angkasa Pura II's CEO Budi Karya Sumadi in early June.

Sri Purwanti has been harassed by a barrage of calls from unknown callers for weeks. Claiming to be bank officers, the callers tell her credit card limit is maxed out and she needed to start making payments immediately.

The Chinese Muslim community in several areas in Indonesia promote integration and tolerance by building mosques and holding public events.

Tito's career in the police force has proceeded at high speed. President Joko Widodo has recommended Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian, 51, as the sole candidate for the National Police chief. The nomination was approved by the House of Representatives (DPR) last week.

Dress to Impress During Ramadan

The fallout from Britain's European Union (EU) referendum was nothing short of unexpected. The pound plummeted to its lowest level in the past 31 years while investor sentiment soured on the uncertainties, battering the global market.

Take a stroll down Jalan Lada in Old Town Jakarta, and you will find a three-story building sure to catch your eye. Painted white with a symmetrical faade, this building's Art Deco style stands out even from a distance.

Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan has a well-grounded reason to delay the opening of the new Terminal 3 Ultimate at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport: It has failed to meet safety standards.

Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan has issued specific instructions to public transportation companies and departments for the Lebaran holidays. He has ordered that all safety features of all modes of transportation-buses, trains, ships and airlines-be strictly and carefully checked. "I don't want to take any risks with safety," he said.

'The builder of Batavia' who is buried there was a man with a motto, as quoted in 1618: "Despair not, spare your enemies not, for God is with us."

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.