Indonesia police fire tear gas near campuses as protest tensions rise
Indonesian police fired tear gas near Bandung’s Islamic University (UNISBA) and Pasundan University on Tuesday as protests over government spending and workers’ rights intensified. Students were reportedly injured, and campuses served as temporary medical hubs for demonstrators, according to Reuters.
The unrest, sparked by increased legislative perks and the death of a motorcycle taxi driver hit by a police vehicle, has spread across 32 provinces, leaving at least eight dead. Human rights groups and the UN have criticized security forces’ heavy-handed response, while the arrest of a legal aid director has fueled further controversy.
President Prabowo Subianto engaged with labor unions demanding wage reforms but warned against violence. The protests highlight growing public frustration and a test of his administration’s handling of dissent, Reuters reported.
Afghanistan quake death toll rises over 1400
The death toll from Sunday night’s powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan has climbed to 1,411, officials confirmed. The 6.0-magnitude quake also left more than 3,000 people injured, with Kunar province among the hardest hit, Al Jazeera reported.
Rescue teams are racing to find survivors, but access to remote mountain villages remains difficult as roads and communications are cut off. Aid workers warn that many victims are still trapped under rubble.
Afghanistan lies in a quake-prone region, with frequent tremors in the Hindu Kush Mountains where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet.
Fed should be independent but has made mistakes, Treasury Secretary Bessent says
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reaffirmed that the Federal Reserve must remain independent, even as he admitted it has made “a lot of mistakes.”
Speaking near Washington, he defended President Trump’s dismissal of Fed Governor Lisa Cook, who faces mortgage fraud allegations, insisting the move was not an attempt to take control of the central bank. Bessent said the Fed’s structure prevents any administration from “stacking the board,” adding that markets remain stable with stocks at record highs, according to Reuters.
He argued Cook should resign if the accusations are proven and urged the Senate to quickly confirm Stephen Miran as interim head of the Council of Economic Advisers following Adriana Kugler’s resignation.
Russia to boost gas supplies to China, signs deal for new pipeline
Russia has agreed to boost gas supplies to China, strengthening their energy partnership as Moscow pivots away from Europe, Reuters reported.
Gazprom will raise annual deliveries through the Power of Siberia pipeline from 38 to 44bn cubic meters. In a parallel move, Russia, China, and Mongolia signed a binding pact to build the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which could add another 50 bcm of gas each year.
According to Reuters, the deal highlights deepening Moscow-Beijing cooperation under Western sanctions and Europe’s reduced reliance on Russian gas.
