Indonesia Counts Votes in Presidential Race amid Calls for Clean Election

FILE - Indonesian President Joko Widodo, right, and his deputy Ma'ruf Amin arrive for a group photo with his new cabinet ministers after the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)

Asharq Al Awsat

06:46-14 February 2024 AD ـ 05 Sha’ban 1445 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

06:46-14 February 2024 AD ـ 05 Sha’ban 1445 AH

Indonesia Counts Votes in Presidential Race amid Calls for Clean Election

Indonesian authorities were counting votes cast on Wednesday in the world's biggest single-day election, headlined by the race to succeed President Joko Widodo, whose influence could determine who takes the country's helm.
The race to replace Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, pits two former governors, Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan, against controversial frontrunner Prabowo Subianto, the defense minister and a former special forces commander feared in the 1990s as a top lieutenant of Indonesia's late strongman ruler Suharto, Reuters said.
Initial indications of the result are expected to emerge later on Wednesday, based on independent pollsters' 'quick counts' of publicly counted votes from a sampling of stations across the country. In previous elections, the unofficial counts have proven to be accurate.
Election laws prohibit publication of quick counts before 0800 GMT. The General Election Commission is expected to announce official results by March 20 at the latest.
All eyes are on the presidential race and the fate of the Jokowi's plans to establish the country as an electric vehicle hub and extend a massive infrastructure push, including a multi-billion dollar plan to move the capital city.
Two surveys last week projected Prabowo, who has promised to continue Jokowi's programs, will win the majority of votes and avoid a second round.
Those surveys showed Prabowo with 51.8% and 51.9% support, with Anies and Ganjar 27 and 31 points adrift, respectively. To win outright, a candidate needs over 50% of votes and to secure 20% of the ballot in half of the country's provinces.
Novan Maradona, 42, an entrepreneur, said after voting in central Jakarta he wanted a candidate who would continue policies currently in place.
"If we start over from zero, it will take time," he said.
Indonesia has three time zones and most polling stations across the country had closed by 0600 GMT.
Voting got off to a slow start in Jakarta, with thunderstorms causing flooding in parts of the capital. About 70 polling stations were affected, but it was not clear whether any delays would impact turnout. Turnout in past elections has been about 75%.
Some polling stations in Central Java and Bali were decked out in pink and white Valentine's Day decorations, while others in West Java province handed out fruit to waiting voters.
CALL FOR CLEAN ELECTION
Undecided voters will be critical to former Jakarta governor Anies and ex-Central Java governor Ganjar, to try to force a runoff in June between the top two finishers.
"I want to underline that we want honest and fair elections so that it becomes peaceful," Anies said at a polling station.
Deadly riots broke out after the 2019 election, when Prabowo, who has run previously for president, had initially contested Jokowi's victory.
Some 200,000 security personnel are on guard.
"So far, the situation is safe, under control," said National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo. "We will keep monitoring until the voting process is done and we are prepared for any impact after the voting."
Anies has campaigned on promises of change and preventing a backsliding in the democratic reforms achieved in the 25 years since the end of Suharto's authoritarian, kleptocratic rule.
Ganjar hails from the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle, of which Jokowi is ostensibly a member, and has campaigned largely on continuing the president's policies, but crucially lacks his endorsement.
Before voting, he also called for a clean election so that candidates could accept the result.
Prabowo said on Wednesday he hoped the "voting process goes well".
The defense minister is contesting his third election after twice losing to Jokowi, who is tacitly backing his former rival, seen as a continuity candidate to preserve his legacy, including a role for his son as Prabowo's running mate.
During his decade in office, Jokowi pushed to attract investment, introducing laws that slashed red tape and streamlined business rules. His administration's efforts to contain inflation have benefited millions and per capita income has risen, according to World Bank data.
PRABOWO REBRAND
The 72-year-old Prabowo has pledged to continue Jokowi's policies and at the same time transformed his image from a fiery-tempered nationalist to a cuddly grandfather figure with awkward dance moves.
Prabowo's more gentle characterization, played out largely on short video app TikTok, has endeared him to voters under 40, who make up more than half of the 204.8 million electorate.
A 25-year-old student Keko Iyeres said he wanted to see improved education and justice.
"I like Prabowo because he is aggressive but can also be gentle. We need a leader like that. And I see that Jokowi also supports him."
But Jokowi's intimated support for Prabowo, plus allegations he interfered in a court ruling to allow his son to contest the vice presidency, have prompted criticism that unlike previous presidents he is not staying neutral over his succession.
Jokowi's loyalists have rejected that and it is unclear if the allegations will impact Prabowo.
Asked about allegations of foul play, including in a documentary called "Dirty Vote" that went viral on social media this week, Jokowi said there were mechanisms to report issues.
"If there is cheating on the ground, that can be reported to Bawaslu (the election watchdog) and then ... a petition can be brought to the Constitutional Court."

Demonstrations Backing France’s Protesting Students Gather Strength

CGT unionists stand amid tear gas fired by riot police during a demonstration of high-school students in Lyon, southeastern France on October 13, 2026, as part of a nationwide high school mobilization. (AFP)

23:01-13 October 2026 AD ـ 02 Jumada Al-Ula 1448 AH

Demonstrations Backing France’s Protesting Students Gather Strength

Tens of thousands of people joined rallies across France on Tuesday to support protesting high school students demanding better conditions in a major challenge to President Emmanuel Macron as his term winds down.

Some 161,500 people turned out in the rallies, according to the interior ministry -- more than double the 71,500 estimate it gave for demonstrations on Thursday last week.

Although most of the demonstrations were peaceful, violence erupted on the sidelines of one of two Paris marches that the interior ministry said drew 41,500 people.

AFP journalists saw some cars set on fire and police fired tear gas in the Invalides square as masked youths tried to erect barricades across roads and threw objects. Tear gas was also fired during a demonstration in Lyon.

Swedish activist Greta Thunberg took part in one demonstration in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis. She said she had joined the protests because "our future is being robbed".

French unions said 480,000 people took part in the rallies and the numbers suggested increased street opposition to the government just six months before a vote for a successor to Macron, who is completing his maximum second mandate.

The latest agitation came as the centrist government launched a debate in parliament on a cost-cutting budget, facing fierce opposition from the left and right, while France's worsening debt has spooked the bond market.

Pressure will increase as on Saturday national demonstrations against the cost of living are to take place, and unions and student groups see the two protest currents merging.

The students have been given strong backing by the far-left opposition France Unbowed (LFI) party whose leader and presidential hopeful Jean-Luc Melenchon was seen among crowds in Paris.

- Dialogue, 'not repression' -

Thousands also marched in the cities of Nantes, Lyon, Lens, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Marseille, according to police and AFP reporters.

"We stand in solidarity with the high schools that are worse off. We need real measures and proper dialogue, not repression," said 16-year-old Emeline, outside a Marseille school.

"We're here because we really feel we're not being heard by the government," said Nina, 17.

The student movement sprang up last month at lycees -- high schools for those aged 15 to 18 -- with students blocking the entrances to many schools to demand better classroom conditions.

Perceived heavy-handed police action against the students drove many to join Tuesday's demonstrations.

One teen lost his hand when he picked up a police stun grenade during the protests, while another lost an eye, and another teeth when an officer fired a teargas canister in his face.

Police have opened internal investigations into 36 allegations of violence against demonstrators, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez who said nearly 900 police had suffered injuries during the protests.

Some 147 teaching staff have been injured, the education ministry said.

- 'Not budging' -

"We're not giving up the fight, whether it's for the high school students who were hit with a harsh crackdown, or for denouncing police violence," said Patricia, a 20-year-old university student in Paris who did not give her last name.

Some Indian tourists who wandered into the Paris demonstration said they were unnerved.

"Initially we were terrified," said Snehil Jain, a 45-year-old visiting Paris for a week with his wife.

"We had seen the media images of violence around these protests. But then we saw it was a peaceful protest, so we were OK then."

France's education ministry said 214 schools, mostly high schools, were closed Tuesday.

University student union l'Union Etudiante reported 90 percent of universities had closed nationwide to show support.

French students say they are determined to press their demands over absent teachers, dilapidated buildings, overcrowded schedules and other grievances.

They have dismissed a government pledge -- made after last week's demonstrations -- to send 3,000 substitute teachers to the 114 worst-affected schools.

"We are continuing the blockades. We are not budging," said Naouel, a high school student in Brest. She said she hoped the protests would continue after the half-term holidays, in late October.

On Monday, Macron had urged restraint from protesters, saying the issues "deserve time, consultations, discussion and respect".

World

Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Received No Intelligence from Partners About Missiles Headed to Kyiv

People watch Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a large screen as he speaks to the Warsaw Security Forum in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP)

22:33-13 October 2026 AD ـ 02 Jumada Al-Ula 1448 AH

Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Received No Intelligence from Partners About Missiles Headed to Kyiv

People watch Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a large screen as he speaks to the Warsaw Security Forum in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. (AP)

Ukraine received no early warning from its partners about five Russian ballistic missiles that hit civilian infrastructure in the capital of Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday, as tensions rise between the Ukrainian leader and US President Donald Trump.

Zelenskyy did not specify which partners he was talking about. He characterized the barrage as “particularly vile” and emphasized that receiving intelligence from partners about such attacks “helps save lives" and is "one of the most critical issues.”

"This is precisely what helps prevent people from being killed — when there is an early warning about ballistic missiles,” he wrote in a post on X.

Trump said the US has not stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine.

“We are helping them, and we are sharing intel,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We want the war to end, so we’re working with them and with Russia on getting the war to end."

More missiles struck Kyiv late Tuesday, targeting energy systems. Zelenskyy said again that the country received no early warning from partners.

“It is important that the world does not stay silent about this,” he posted on X. “And it is important that the United States really see what is happening and who is responsible for this war continuing.”

Remarks follow biting criticism from Trump

Zelenskyy’s remarks come days after Trump unleashed biting criticism of him, including comments that it was time for a new president in Ukraine and that Zelenskyy has not done enough to end the war. The criticism marks perhaps the lowest point in their relationship since their disastrous Oval Office meeting in February 2025.

Kyiv continues to rely heavily on Washington for military assistance, including US-made Patriot missile-defense systems and intelligence.

The US has the capability to immediately spot Russian ballistic missile launches. American officials have in the past notified Ukraine about launches to allow it to issue missile warnings to the public and to use air defenses against incoming missiles.

Asked whether Ukraine received an explanation for the lack of intelligence ahead of the overnight missile strikes, a senior Ukrainian official said it was described as a “failure,” suggesting it was the result of circumstances such as weather conditions rather than a deliberate decision. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give an official statement on the matter.

Ukraine struggles to fend off aerial attacks

Russia's war in Ukraine has not seen major shifts on the ground since last year, but Ukraine is struggling to fend off Moscow's intensified aerial attacks that include speedy ballistic missiles and high-flying jet-powered drones.

Downing the missiles has been a challenge because of a shortage of Patriot missiles caused by the US-led war in Iran. Russia’s Iskander short-range ballistic missiles take just a few minutes to reach targets in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said Russia had attacked Ukraine with more than 100 weapons since Monday evening. A residential building in the northeastern city of Kharkiv was destroyed, killing four people despite an all-night rescue operation, he said.

Russia has increasingly used attacks on civilian infrastructure such as energy facilities to deny Ukrainians power, heat and running water during the 4½-year war, hoping to wear down public support for Ukraine’s response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy says Ukraine is respecting energy ceasefire

Trump has blamed Ukraine's earlier strikes on Russian oil refineries for record US diesel prices — rather than the war in Iran. He struck a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday to import diesel from Russia in an attempt to bring fuel prices down ahead of US midterm elections.

Meanwhile, Trump claimed Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed on an “energy ceasefire” in which both parties would refrain from striking each other's energy infrastructure. Russia has not confirmed the existence of such a deal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said only that “contacts on this matter continue.”

Zelenskyy on Tuesday said Ukraine had not struck Russian oil refineries or other energy sites in the two days since Trump announced the purported deal. He criticized Moscow for what he said were Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities and infrastructure in the time since Trump's announcement.

“The facts show that the Russians do not consider themselves bound by what the President of the United States said,” Zelenskyy said following the attack late Tuesday.

The claim that Ukraine has halted its strikes on energy sites could not be independently verified, but neither Russian officials nor media have reported Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries since the energy truce was announced.

Strikes on Kharkiv kill 4 and wound 41

Russian strikes across Ukraine caused injuries and deaths overnight Monday and into Tuesday. In addition to the four deaths in the apartment building in Kharkiv, 41 people were wounded in the city in one evening alone, Zelenskyy said.

A woman was wounded in a Russian strike on a private home in Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district, the Kyiv city military administration said. A Russian drone hit a residential building in the village of Murovane, near the western city of Lviv, during a morning attack Tuesday, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said.

One person was killed in the Fastiv district of the Kyiv region, and at least two others were hurt in a Russian attack on the area, said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration.

A Russian drone struck an educational institution in the center of Rivne in northwest Ukraine, wounding 14 people, according to Oleksandr Koval, head of the Rivne regional military administration.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that its forces launched strikes “against Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, logistics centers, railway and port infrastructure, as well as vessels involved in delivering military cargo to Ukraine.”

The ministry also said a bulk carrier headed to the port of Mykolaiv with military cargo on board was hit in the estuary of the Bug River along the Black Sea.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday said its air defenses overnight shot down 604 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions and the Sea of Azov.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 417 drones targeted the Moscow region. Most were downed far away, while 65 were intercepted as they approached the Russian capital.

A school, two private houses and a car were damaged in the attack in the Kaluga region southwest of Moscow, Gov. Vladislav Shapsha said.

World

Pope Leo Has Cancerous Growth Removed in Lung Operation

Pope Leo arrives at Gemelli Hospital ahead of the pontiff's surgery to remove a lung nodule, in Rome, Italy, October 13, 2026. (Vatican Media/Simone Risoluti/Handout via Reuters)

22:27-13 October 2026 AD ـ 02 Jumada Al-Ula 1448 AH

Pope Leo Has Cancerous Growth Removed in Lung Operation

Pope Leo arrives at Gemelli Hospital ahead of the pontiff's surgery to remove a lung nodule, in Rome, Italy, October 13, 2026. (Vatican Media/Simone Risoluti/Handout via Reuters)

Pope Leo XIV had a cancerous growth removed from his right lung in a 90-minute operation on Tuesday and "woke up normally" after the procedure, the Vatican said.

A Vatican source said further tests were being carried out to determine if the cancer had spread.

"To ensure the procedure was radical, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed," the Vatican said in a statement.

The operation "confirmed the diagnosis of a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, as suspected from the pre-operative tests", it said.

The pope was in the operating room for a total of three hours and the operation lasted half that time.

"The surgery was successful and there were no complications," the Vatican said.

A Vatican source said he requested dinner after the procedure.

Leo had entered the hospital smiling and waving earlier on Tuesday hours before the surgery.

The Vatican has said it expects the pope to stay in his room on the 10th floor of Rome's Gemelli hospital to recover for several days.

His audiences have been cancelled until October 20 and the operation raises questions about whether the pope will go on a lengthy visit to Latin America next month.

- 'I will pray a lot' -

The surgery marks the 71-year-old Leo's first hospitalization since he became head of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025.

In a surprise announcement following Angelus prayers on Sunday, Leo told crowds in St Peter's Square that doctors had discovered a nodule "at a very early stage" during medical checks.

"The doctors believe it would be right to intervene," he said.

The Vatican has historically been very secretive about the health of popes, but began to be more transparent during the illness of Leo's predecessor Francis, an Argentine who freely discussed his ailments.

Ahead of the operation, people outside the hospital expressed concern over the pope's condition.

Giorgia Fei, a 57-year-old Italian, said she had been worried.

"However, he is in very good hands here at the hospital because we have some outstanding doctors," she said.

"I will pray a lot for him."

Giuseppe Purpura, 72, said he too was concerned.

"He's still quite young and I really wasn't expecting this. I thought he was in better health," he said, noting that "thankfully it was caught in time."

The Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, led a rosary prayer for the pope inside the hospital chapel which was broadcast by the Vatican. Dozens of people attended and Reina asked all the city's parishes to join in.

The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, told ANSA news agency that Leo had been "very calm" about his condition when they met on Monday.

The Vatican told AFP the nodule was found during routine health checks, and there were no symptoms that led to checking the pope's lungs.

Chicago-born Leo, the first US pope, is sporty and believed to generally be in good health.

He is scheduled to travel to South America from November 6-17 to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.

It was not immediately clear what would happen if the pope was forced into a longer recovery.

Under Church law, a figure known as the Cardinal Camerlengo -- or chamberlain -- takes over administrative duties if the pope dies, but pontiffs do not have a deputy to replace them if they become incapacitated.

Indonesia Counts Votes in Presidential Race amid Calls for Clean Election

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Demonstrations Backing France’s Protesting Students Gather Strength

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