International
The controversial former General Prabowo is declared the official winner of the elections in Indonesia
The controversial former General Prabowo Subianto, accused of human rights violations during his time as a military, has been declared the winner of the presidential elections in Indonesia held on February 14 on Wednesday, according to official results.
After more than a month of counting, the Indonesian Electoral Commission indicated on its YouTube channel that Prabowo obtained 58% of the votes, compared to the 24% achieved by former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and 16% of former Java governor Central Ganjar Pranobo, the other two candidates for the presidency.
Since the elections, there have been numerous protests to denounce an alleged electoral fraud and both Anies and Ganjar also recently affirmed their intention to legally challenge the results by denouncing that Prabowo has received unofficial support from the outgoing president, Joko Widodo.
The former general has presented himself in tandem with the Widodo’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, 36 years old and who will become vice president.
Both received more than 96.21 million votes, compared to 40.97 million from Anies and his electoral partner, the aspiring vice president Muhaimin Iskandar, and 27.04 million from Ganjar and Mohammad Mahfud Mahmodin.
These elections in Indonesia, the third democracy in the world and the country with the most Muslims on the planet, have been marked by the past of Prabowo, accused of human rights violations when he was head of the elite Korpassus corps (December 1995 to March 1998) and the special forces (from March to May 1998).
However, Prabowo, a 72-year-old outgoing Minister of Defense, managed to position himself as the favorite candidate after having rehabilitated his image as an “endearing” grandfather through a campaign in which he has come to perform dances that went viral on TikTok, in a wink to the younger voters.
His alliance with Gibran Rakabuming Raka was also a revulsive to his campaign due to Widodo’s popularity.
This electoral pact provoked criticism among the followers of Anies, 54, and Ganjar, 55.
Widodo, who could not run for election again due to the legal limit of two terms, did not publicly position himself on any candidate, but the rest of the candidates allege that his implicit support was crucial for Prabowo’s victory.
Indonesian laws allow the outgoing president to position himself on future campaigns, although they prohibit the use of state funds for them, one of the main aspects on which the complaints of the candidates against Prabowo and Gibran are based.
Of an angry and decisive nature, Prabowo has been accused of abuses against civilians in East Timor and Papua and the kidnapping of activists during his time in the Army, from which he was expelled for disobedience in 1998, and had his entry banned in the United States for several years.
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
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