New president being chosen by millions of voters in Indonesia
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Millions of Indonesians were choosing a new president Wednesday as the world’s third-largest democracy aspires to become a global economic powerhouse just over 25 years since emerging from a brutal authoritarian era.
Indonesia’s defense minister, Prabowo Subianto, who has been accused of human rights atrocities as an ex-general, and former provincial governors Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo are vying to succeed the stillwidely popular President Joko Widodo.
Widodo’s rise from a riverside slum to his country’s presidency has showcased the vibrancy of his Southeast Asian nation’s democracy in a region rife with authoritarian regimes.
The voting in a vast archipelago of 17,000 islands sprawled across three time zones, with a population of 270 million, is a logistical nightmare, with white ballot boxes and ballots being brought by donkeys and on foot in some of the more remote locations.
Polls show Subianto well ahead of his rivals, although perhaps not with the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
Police, farmers clash:
Indian police used tear gas and detained some farmers Tuesday who clashed with them and tried to break barricades blocking their way to New Delhi to demand guaranteed crop prices in a repeat of 2021 protests, when they camped on the capital’s outskirts for more than a year.
Tear-gas canisters were dropped from a drone at one of the border points in northern Haryana state that leads to New Delhi, where tens of thousands of farmers are headed on tractors and trucks.
Police have sealed multiple entry points into the capital with barriers of giant metal containers, barbed wire, spikes and cement blocks. The government has banned large gatherings in the capital and suspended internet service in some districts of neighboring Haryana state to prevent communication among the protesters.
The farmers are asking for legislation that will guarantee a minimum support price for all farm produce. The government protects agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices by announcing a minimum purchase price for certain essential crops at the beginning of the sowing season, taking into account the cost of production.
Farmers are also pressing the government to meet its promise to double their income and waive their loans. They say they will protest in New Delhi until their demands are met.
Election for Santos seat:
An unusual special election Tuesday in New York City’s suburbs could be a bellwether in the fight for control of Congress.
Former U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, faces off with Republican Mazi Pilip, a county lawmaker, in a race for a House seat that became vacant when
George Santos was expelled from Congress.
The contest, being fought in a district that includes Long Island suburbs and a small corner of Queens, has offered a preview of the political strategies both parties might use in the fall, with the campaigns testing messages on immigration, abortion and public safety.
New York is expected to host a handful of congressional battleground races this year.
Still, forecasting for November could be complicated given that turnout, already expected to be low given the abbreviated race, could be hampered by a storm that dumped several inches of snow on the district on election day.
The election became necessary when Santos was ousted by his colleagues in December, partway through his first term. He was indicted on multiple charges, including allegations of stealing money from Republican donors. He has pleaded not guilty.
Arrest in theft of statue:
A 45-year-old man was arrested in the theft of a bronze statue of legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas, police said Tuesday.
Ricky Alderete was charged Monday with four counts stemming from the theft and a 2022 case, records show. Wichita police said no evidence pointed to a “hate-motivated crime” but rather the intent was to sell the metal for scrap.