Three dead after protests over death of taxi driver in Indonesia

Mass protests have erupted across Indonesia after 21-year-old ride-sharing driver Affan Kurniawan was killed by a police vehicle during a demonstration. Clashes have left at least three dead and several injured, including in Makassar, where the regional parliament was set on fire, BBC reported.

Protesters, many from Kurniawan’s employer Gojek, demand justice, higher wages, lower taxes, and stronger anti-corruption measures. Frustration over lawmakers’ new allowance, nearly 10 times Jakarta’s minimum wage, has fueled unrest.

President Prabowo Subianto, Jakarta officials, and police have expressed condolences and issued apologies. Seven police officers were found to have violated professional ethics. Despite this, demonstrations continued, with some protesters blocking police convoys and throwing projectiles, according to BBC.

Thousands attended Kurniawan’s funeral, highlighting the human cost of the tragedy. Gojek pledged support to his family, calling his death a profound loss.

US court rules many of Trump's global tariffs are illegal

A US federal appeals court has struck down most tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, ruling they exceed his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). According to BBC, the decision affects tariffs on China, Mexico, Canada, and dozens of other countries, but does not apply to steel and aluminium levies imposed under separate authority.

The court said setting tariffs is a core Congressional power and that IEEPA does not grant the president unlimited authority. The ruling responds to lawsuits from small businesses and several US states challenging Trump’s executive orders that imposed a baseline 10 percent tariff on almost all imports.

Trump condemned the ruling as partisan, warning it would weaken the US economically, while White House lawyers argued overturning the tariffs could trigger a financial crisis. The decision will take effect on 14 October unless the Supreme Court intervenes, likely setting up a high-stakes showdown over presidential power and trade policy, BBC reported.

 

PM Oli leaves for China

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has departed for China on an official visit on Saturday morning. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is paying a visit to the People's Republic of China from August 30 to September 3, at the cordial invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Prime Minister has been invited to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.  

The Prime Minister is accompanied by his spouse Radhika Shakya.     

During the visit, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to meet with President Xi in Tianjin. He will also address the SCO Plus Summit in Tianjin on September 1. On the sidelines of SCO Summit, the Prime Minister will meet some world leaders attending the Summit. (RSS)

 

North Korea’s Kim consoles families of soldiers killed fighting for Russia

Kim Jong Un has met families of North Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, offering condolences and promising state support for their children.

According to Al Jazeera, he pledged to build a monument and name a street in honour of the fallen, saying the state would raise their children “as courageous fighters like their fathers.”

South Korea estimates about 600 North Korean troops have died and thousands more were wounded, though Pyongyang has not confirmed numbers. The meeting highlights deepening ties between Kim and Moscow after last year’s military alliance.

 

Germany, France push for secondary sanctions on Russia amid Ukraine war

At the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers in Toulon, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron urged tougher secondary sanctions on countries aiding Russia’s war in Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported.

In a joint statement, they pledged to step up pressure on Moscow’s war machine, send additional air defence systems to Kyiv, and open a strategic dialogue on nuclear deterrence.

Both leaders questioned Vladimir Putin’s commitment to talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, despite President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts, warning the war could continue for months.

 

US blocks Palestinian leader from attending UN meeting in New York

The US has revoked visas for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and about 80 officials, barring them from next month’s UN General Assembly in New York. Washington accused the Palestinian leadership of undermining peace by pushing for unilateral statehood recognition and failing to denounce terrorism, BBC reported.

The move, welcomed by Israel, is unusual as the US is expected to allow access for all delegations under the UN Headquarters Agreement. Abbas’ office condemned the decision as unlawful, while the UN said it was in talks with Washington to resolve the issue.

France, backed by the UK, Canada and Australia, is leading efforts at the Assembly to recognise Palestine—a step opposed by President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestine is recognised by 147 UN member states but lacks defined borders and remains under Israeli occupation, according to BBC.

 

Trump moves to cut $5bn in foreign aid already approved by Congress

President Donald Trump is moving to cut $5bn (£3.7bn) in foreign aid using a rarely invoked “pocket rescission,” which allows funds approved by Congress to lapse if left unspent by the end of the fiscal year, according to BBC.

The plan targets USAID, State Department programmes, international peacekeeping, and democracy-promotion efforts. The White House says it is aimed at curbing wasteful spending, but critics argue it sidesteps Congress’s constitutional control over federal funds.

Republican Senator Susan Collins called the move unlawful, while Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned it could disrupt budget processes and risk a shutdown. The tactic was last used in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter, BBC reported.

 

India and Canada name top diplomats after 10 months to mend ties

India and Canada have appointed new high commissioners to each other’s countries, easing tensions after the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Vancouver.

Last year, Ottawa expelled India’s envoy over alleged links to the murder, which Delhi denied, and India retaliated by expelling Canadian diplomats. The standoff marked a major low in otherwise cordial ties, BBC reported.

Following a June meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Canadian PM Mark Carney, both countries agreed to reinstate senior diplomats. Canada named Christopher Cooter as envoy to Delhi, while India appointed Dinesh K Patnaik to Ottawa.

While the move signals renewed engagement, differences remain over Canada’s handling of pro-Khalistan groups, a longstanding concern for India. Canada hosts about 770,000 Sikhs, the largest diaspora outside Punjab, according to BBC.