Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday cancelled a planned visit to China as nationwide protests spread beyond Jakarta, with several regional parliament buildings set on fire.
Prabowo had been scheduled to attend a “Victory Day” parade in Beijing on 3 September, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War Two. But presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi said the president wanted to remain in Indonesia to monitor the unrest and “seek the best solutions”. He added that Prabowo had apologised to Beijing and also considered his upcoming participation at the United Nations General Assembly.
The demonstrations, seen as the first major challenge to Prabowo’s year-old administration, erupted in Jakarta earlier this week over lawmakers’ allowances. Tensions escalated after a police vehicle fatally struck a motorcyclist.
Authorities have warned that disinformation circulating online has fuelled anger. On Saturday, TikTok suspended its live-streaming feature in Indonesia for several days after the government summoned social media companies, including Meta and ByteDance, to strengthen moderation.
Meanwhile, violence intensified across the country. Fires broke out at parliament buildings in West Nusa Tenggara, Pekalongan in Central Java, and Cirebon in West Java. In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi, three people died in an arson attack on the local assembly building, according to the national disaster agency, while two others were injured after leaping from the burning structure. Another fatality was reported by local media but could not be independently confirmed.
Protests also reached Bali, where police deployed teargas, while in Jakarta demonstrators looted the home of NasDem party lawmaker Ahmad Sahroni, seizing furniture and other possessions. Sahroni, accused of dismissing calls to dissolve parliament, had earlier labelled his critics “the stupidest people in the world.”
President Ilham Aliyev held a series of strategic meetings with senior executives from leading Chinese industrial corporations in Tianjin on 31 August...
Israeli forces struck Gaza City’s outskirts overnight with air and ground fire, destroying homes and prompting further civilian displacement. Prime ...
Norway will purchase a fleet of British-built frigates to reinforce its naval strength, the government confirmed on Sunday. The move marks a decisive ...
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday cancelled a planned visit to China as nationwide protests spread beyond Jakarta, with several region...
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit opened in Tianjin on 31 August, gathering leaders from across Eurasia and the Global South....
Israeli forces struck Gaza City’s outskirts overnight with air and ground fire, destroying homes and prompting further civilian displacement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet was scheduled on Sunday to discuss a plan for a wider operation to take control of the city.
Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held a meeting with Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, on August 31 in Tianjin, China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Tianjin that China will always be a reliable partner of the United Nations, pledging deeper cooperation and support for the organisation’s global role.
Norway will purchase a fleet of British-built frigates to reinforce its naval strength, the government confirmed on Sunday. The move marks a decisive step in what is expected to be the country’s largest-ever military procurement and a significant boost to NATO’s northern maritime defences.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Norway will purchase a fleet of British-built frigates to reinforce its naval strength, the government confirmed on Sunday. The move marks a decisive step in what is expected to be the country’s largest-ever military procurement and a significant boost to NATO’s northern maritime defences.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 31th of August, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Sunday for a regional security summit, Chinese and Russian state media reported.
China’s largest city and global financial hub, Shanghai, has set a new heat record, state media reported on Saturday. Temperatures in the city exceeded 35°C (95°F) for 25 consecutive days, breaking the previous record set in 1926.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Japan on Thursday to meet his Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Ishiba, with trade and security high on the agenda.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment