Pakistan's emerging DJ scene: The women behind the turntables

Cover image: Focus © France 24
Issued on: 11/08/2026 
05:25 min

Pakistan, a country known for its conservative values, rarely makes waves in the music and entertainment industry. Yet in major cities like Karachi and Lahore, a quiet but thriving DJ scene is beginning to make itself heard, with emerging talents and artists transforming the music industry. At the heart of this evolution, more and more women are asserting themselves in a field largely dominated by men.

Yet this culture remains largely limited to an urban elite, while the Pakistani electronic scene is still very informal – made up of one-off events, temporary collectives and underground raves, in a climate where the authorities seek to crack down on so-called immoral cultural productions.

FRANCE 24's Shahzaib Wahlah and Ondine de Gaulle report.

In Malaysia, wave of hate speech threatens Rohingya refugees


Malaysia – The spread of hostile content on social media in Malaysia has intensified tensions towards the Rohingya refugee community, leading to the eviction of more than 100 people from their village and the temporary closure of schools attended by refugee children.


Issued on: 10/08/2026 - 
By: The FRANCE 24 Observers/ Marguerite MARAMICI

Rohingya refugees camp near the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, after being expelled from the village of Kuala Muda in the state of Penang on July 27, 2026. © SinarOnline/ X

Malaysia has long been considered a safe haven for Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar. As of the end of February 2026, 126,000 Rohingyas were registered with the UN refugee agency in Malaysia, out of a total of around 215,600 refugees and asylum seekers.

However, they have faced growing hostility since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, culminating in a wave of online hate and disinformation that began in April 2026. On July 27, around 1 hundred Rohingya refugees were forced to leave their homes in a fishing village after their neighbours put up signs urging them to leave.
#SaveMalaysiaFromRohingya

Maryam* works for the NGO Article 19, which defends freedom of expression in Malaysia and combats hate speech.



"The latest wave of anti-Rohingya rhetoric has undoubtedly been one of the most intense in terms of both scale and duration. It began towards the end of April and is still continuing today.

It all started with a disinformation campaign claiming that Rohingya refugees were demanding land and special rights. In May, an online petition was launched calling on the Malaysian prime minister to expel Rohingya refugees from Malaysia. Organisations such as UNHCR, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), and NGOs came under pressure and received threats on social media."

This Facebook message posted on July 22, 2026 by anti-Rohingya influencer Abang Koroy reads: “The Rohingyas get rich from begging and doing business without paying taxes; they go to private hospitals—government clinics are beneath them.”

Some Malaysian influencers regularly post anti-Rohingya content and contribute to the spread of hostile hashtags such as #SaveMalaysiaFromRohingya.

Maryam* explains :

"We reported some of the problematic content to Meta so that action could be taken immediately. However, Meta's content moderation, complaint handling, and reporting mechanisms remain far too slow to deal with harmful content."

She adds that the situation is particularly alarming because refugees are neither officially recognised nor protected under Malaysian law, as the country is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention. Although they are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), they have no legal protection and are not allowed to work, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
'Rohingyas Are Banned from Kuala Muda'

This wave of online hatred has had dramatic consequences. On July 27, more than 1 hundred Rohingyas were forced to leave their homes in the village of Kuala Muda, in the state of Penang.

This Facebook post from July 28, 2026 celebrates the departure of a group of Rohingya people from the village of Kuala Muda, showing photos of signs displayed by residents with hostile messages, such as: “Rohingya people are banned from Kuala Muda.”

According to the local newspaper Sinar Harian, the Rohingya population in this village has almost quadrupled, rising from 108 people in 2018 to around 400 in 2026. A non-Rohingya resident told the media outlet Bharian: “The locals feel disadvantaged, particularly economically, because many Rohingya have taken up fishing, creating competition with local residents who depend on fishing for their livelihoods."

The refugee families were reportedly escorted to buses bound for Kuala Lumpur. On arrival in the capital, they went to the office of the UNHCR to seek assistance. They then set up tents outside the organisation’s offices while awaiting a response. The Malaysian police then intervened and detained them for a day to check their documents and legal status. They were eventually released and placed in the care of local NGOs.
'Many children were chased and harassed on their way to school'

Children are also being targeted. At least nine community schools for refugees have temporarily closed to protect their students. The exact number of affected schools remains difficult to determine.

Amira* is the founder of an NGO that provides education for refugees in Malaysia. She describes the climate of fear that has forced many refugee schools to shut their doors.


"Many children have been chased and harassed on their way to school. Some of these incidents have been shared on social media. Youth teams from several NGOs are now afraid to go in the field. The content being posted online is extremely radical. It is highly aggressive, using dehumanizing and threatening language. There is a real sense of fear within the Rohingya community."

Ahmad* is a Rohingya teacher and activist in Kuala Lumpur. He teaches at two schools in the capital that decided to close.


"One school remained closed for a month, the other for two weeks because of all this chaos. We have only just reopened. Despite the risks, the staff felt it was essential to resume classes so that the children could continue their education. We advised students not to wear their school uniforms so that they would not attract attention on their way to school."

He also points out that his students come from different refugee communities, but many Malaysians assume they are all Rohingya. According to him, this misconception is reinforced by media coverage that often labels all refugees as Rohingya.

This Facebook post, published on 28 July 2026 in a group that regularly shares content hostile to the Rohingya, questions the legitimacy of a community school.

Amira* explains that refugees have no legal right to formal education in Malaysia, as the country is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.


"Schools like ours operate in a grey area. If someone were to ask, ‘Is this school legal? Do you have the right to be here?’ Of course, the answer is no. Some schools have been closed down by the authorities because they did not have the necessary authorisations.

The lack of the right to work and access to education marginalises the Rohingya and limits their integration in Malaysia. At the same time, disinformation campaigns wrongly portray them as economic migrants or invaders. On social media, many ask why the UNHCR does not send them to other countries, but they are unaware that its ability to organise resettlement depends on the willingness of states to offer places to refugees."
'We cannot trust the Myanmar government to guarantee our safety'

On 23 July, the deputy foreign minister informed Parliament that 5,000 Myanmar nationals currently held in immigration detention centres would be repatriated to Myanmar.

On 28 July, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said that the presence of the UNHCR office had made Malaysia "a magnet" for refugees and warned that the government could reconsider the agency's presence in the country if it refused to resettle more refugees.

Despite allegations of genocide against the Rohingya in Myanamar, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on 30 July that Myanmar had agreed to take back 5,000 Rohingya asylum seekers currently living in Malaysia.

The Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM) expressed serious concern over the announcement:

"We cannot trust the Myanmar government to guarantee our safety while the massacres continue. Rohingyas will be forced to join the Myanmar military without any training and used as human shields in the army's war against various ethnic armed groups. That is the only reason the Myanmar military has agreed to take the Rohingyas back."

However, the Malaysian government later appeared to reverse its position. On 5 August, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that the government would not deport refugees if they faced a risk of persecution.

Denied citizenship under Myanmar's 1982 Citizenship Law, the Rohingya fled the country in large numbers in 2017 following a military campaign marked by massacres, sexual violence, and the systematic destruction of villages. The International Court of Justice is currently examining allegations of genocide against Myanmar over those events, following hearings held in January 2026.

* For security reasons, the people interviewed for this article asked to speak anonymously and their names have been changed.

Rebuilding Aleppo: Syria's war-torn economic capital enjoys gradual rebirth

Cover image: FOCUS © FRANCE 24
Issued on: 13/08/2026 - 
05:58 min  From the show

Syria's economic capital Aleppo was left largely in ruins by the fighting that raged there between regime and rebel forces from 2012 to 2016. A 2023 earthquake also caused severe damage to the old city. But reconstruction is now well underway, in particular of Aleppo's treasured historic monuments.

The labyrinthine streets of Aleppo, stretching across 14 kilometres, were once home to 4,000 shops and around 50 caravanserai inns. Some 60 percent of the historic souks, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, have been badly damaged or destroyed. But today, the inhabitants are trying to rebuild their battered city. Traders have been gradually returning and Aleppo's iconic citadel has already reopened to the public.

FRANCE 24's Dana Alboz, Sophie Guignon and Yaser Shahrour report.

In Nepal, residents learn how to live alongside wild animals

Cover image: FOCUS © FRANCE 24


Issued on: 14/08/2026 -
04:51 min From the show


Over the past five decades, Nepal has established itself as a model for wildlife conservation. Nearly 20 percent of the country’s territory has been designated as protected areas. An effective anti-poaching policy has helped save iconic species such as the one-horned rhinoceros and the gharial crocodile, which were once on the brink of extinction. But this success also comes with tragic consequences.


In the heart of Nepal's Terai plains, presented around the world as a conservation success story, animal attacks have claimed hundreds of lives. In some areas, tigers kill up to three people a month.

Tensions are rising in these communities. Residents no longer just want coexistence; they seek protection. To better understand animal movements and prevent further tragedies, civil society groups are stepping in.

FRANCE 24's Fantine Dantzer and Tashi Bista report.

.
BY:

Fantine Dantzer

Tashi BISTA

Japan summons Russian ambassador after Putin visits disputed Kuril islands


Japan’s foreign minister summoned the Russian ambassador in Tokyo to lodge a “strong protest” against President Vladimir Putin’s surprise visit to the Kuril islands on Thursday. Tokyo maintains its claim to the disputed islands near Japan's northernmost Hokkaido island since they were seized by the Soviet Union in 1945.


Issued on: 13/08/2026 
By: FRACE 24

Cover image: Pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, President Vladimir Putin greets officers onboard the Russian Navy's guided missile cruiser Varyag on far eastern Sakhalin Island on August 13, 2026. © Gavriil Grigorov, AFP (Pool)
01:45

President Vladimir Putin visited Russia's far-eastern Kuril islands for the first time on Thursday, prompting protests by Japan, which also claims the territory.

Russian-Japanese relations have long been dogged by the contested islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and seized by the Soviet Union in 1945.

The Kremlin posted a video of Putin on one of the Kurils' four main islands, with Russian media saying he visited a fish-processing plant and was given caviar.

It was the first visit by a Russian president since Dmitry Medvedev in 2010.


"The Northern Territories are an inherent part of Japan's territory, both historically and under international law," Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters.

Putin's visit "offends the sentiments of the Japanese people and is absolutely unacceptable", she said, adding that it "made it more difficult to restore relations in the medium to long term".

Putin travelled to the Kurils after visiting the nearby Russian island of Sakhalin on Wednesday, where Russia's navy was conducting drills.

In Sakhalin, Putin, 73, held a meeting "on ensuring the security of Russia's eastern borders", RIA Novosti said.

Also on Thursday, Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned Russian ambassador to Japan Nikolai Nozdrev to lodge a "strong protest" against Putin's surprise move.

Motegi told the ambassador in the meeting that Putin's visit would "have an extremely negative impact on Japan-Russia relations" already complicated by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, according to the ministry's statement.
Ukraine sanctions

Ties between Japan and Russia – which fought a war in 1904-5 – have worsened since the full-scale conflict in Ukraine began in 2022.

Japan has joined other G7 countries in sanctioning Russia and giving money and non-lethal defence aid to Kyiv.

Putin on Wednesday called Japan's sanctions "unprovoked".

"Japan has identified Russia as a main source of threats. I would like to point out that we are not threatening Japan... On the contrary it has territorial claims against our country," Putin said.

Russia and China have also moved closer, with their navies and air forces conducting joint exercises in areas around Japan, promoting frequent scrambles by Japanese jets.

North Korea, which this month termed Japan's military build-up a "transformation into a war state", has also sent troops and artillery shells to help Russia's war against Ukraine.

READ MOREZelensky accuses Russia of using North Korean missiles in deadly attack

Japan's latest defence white paper issued this month again highlighted growing risks from all three countries.

The New York Times reported in July that Russia had turned Japan into a "den of spies" and a key source of dual-use technology needed for its war in Ukraine.
Harsh climate, few people

The Soviet Union took the strategically located volcanic archipelago north of Hokkaido in the final days of World War II, and has maintained a military presence there ever since.

The contested isles are part of the volcanic Kuril archipelago, which runs in a broad arc from Russia's Kamchatka peninsula down to Japan's main northern island Hokkaido.

Their population of about 20,000 Russian citizens lives in a harsh climate, but the islands have mineral deposits including gold and silver, and rich fishing grounds.

After the islands were occupied in 1945, Moscow deported their Japanese population of about 17,000 people.

The islands then acquired strategic importance, providing air and sea bases during the Cold War as the Soviet Union confronted the United States and Japan.

"The Kurils have been fortified with Bastion coastal defence missile systems and SU-35 fighter aircraft. These provide Russia with instruments of control over sea lanes in the region, as well as leverage against Japan's claim to the islands," said Yee Kuang Heng, a professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo.

"Putin's visit may be a reminder of the cards he holds and also his displeasure with Japan's continuing sanctions on Russia imposed after the invasion of Ukraine," Heng told AFP.

Infantino's future at FIFA should be decided by election, African football chief says

Confederation of African Football head Patrice Motsepe on Thursday said that the future of FIFA's embattled president Gianni Infantino should be decided via election. Multiple world football federations have recently withdrawn their support for his leadership of football's governing body over his aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.


Issued on: 13/08/2026 

By: FRANCE 24

Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. © Paul Ellis, AFP


Confederation of African Football chief Patrice Motsepe says Gianni Infantino's future should only be decided by elections after Ireland became the latest federation to withdraw their support for the embattled FIFA president.

Infantino is fighting to save his job after a barrage of criticism for his aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

The governing bodies of European football (UEFA), North and Central America (CONCACAF) and Asia (AFC) stepped up the pressure on Infantino in a joint letter this week, declaring "trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority".

It is believed they want Infantino to resign before he has the chance to seek re-election in March next year.

But Motsepe, a FIFA vice-president and CAF president, is adamant Infantino's fate should be decided through the ballot box.

"If anybody has got any problem against anybody, whether it's Gianni, whether it is anybody else, follow the process, follow the FIFA process, simple as that," Motsepe told Sky News on Thursday.

"If you want to take him out, go for elections; let the 211 member associations decide. Do that and the vote will express whether they've got confidence in him or not."

"You've got to be very careful. There are elections taking place next year. Shouldn't we allow that process to continue?"

Motsepe was in Salzburg at the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday to hold talks with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, whose organisation are threatening to boycott the World Cup and Club World Cup in protest at Infantino's scheme.

"I've heard so many stories about various issues and am careful to pass judgement on anything," Motsepe said.

"Everybody has a right to be heard. Let's have a hearing, and a proper forum."

CAF had already backed Infantino and Motsepe claimed there was no breach of rules over the World Cup sell-off talks, because the proposals would be submitted to FIFA members for final approval.

"There's a lot that's problematic and negative that they have to fix," Motsepe said.

"But he has apologised and said maybe there's a different way these things should have been done, but we also take advice."

However, there has been no end to the tidal wave of criticism engulfing Infantino.

And on Thursday the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) become the latest FIFA member to withdraw its support for Infantino.

The English FA and Welsh FA had already withdrawn their backing for the 56-year-old Swiss.

"Following an FAI Board Meeting, the decision was taken to rescind the letter of support that the Association supplied earlier this year," the organisation said.

"It has since written to FIFA to explain its reasoning. The Association is grateful for the support that FIFA provides to Irish football, but recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation."

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

White House official: Infantino's critics need to 'get head examined'

14.08.2026, DPA

Photo: Tom Weller/dpa

Under-fire FIFA president Gianni Infantino has taken the governing body to a “whole new level” which has left his critics “jealous”, according to Andrew Giuliani, who was executive director for the White House Task Force on the 2026 World Cup.

New Zealand’s football federation became the latest organization to withdraw its support for the Infantino’s re-election next year as he continues to lose global support over his aborted plan to sell off a stake in the World Cup to private investors.

European governing body UEFA, the North and Central American confederation CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had already made it clear Infantino had lost their confidence, while a number of individual associations – including England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland – have also confirmed they will not back the president.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and South American governing body CONMEBOL have, though, both endorsed Infantino to win a fourth presidential term at the FIFA Congress in March.

US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has warned FIFA would be making a “terrible mistake” if it got rid of Infantino.

Giuliani – son of former New York City mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani – claimed anyone who wanted Infantino removed “needs to get their head examined”.

“It’s politics. I’ve seen this before. I’ve seen it before when they’ve targeted President Trump from a political perspective. I’ve seen it before when they’ve targeted other people,” Giuliani told The Athletic.

“People are jealous when people are very high achievers – and what Gianni Infantino has done for FIFA is he’s taken them to a whole new level that probably they didn’t think was possible.

“You’ve got to remember, this is the first World Cup that Gianni Infantino was president for landing, right? He inherited the Russia and Qatar World Cups, and did a good job with those, but this is the first one. It’s his vision on this.

“What I’ll tell you is that for any soccer confederation or football federation president who is thinking about not voting for Gianni Infantino, it would probably be one of the most foolish decisions of your professional life.

“This guy literally just put on the largest global sporting event ever without any incident, making over four times the revenue of the last World Cup, and you’re thinking of ousting him.

“If Gianni Infantino doesn’t get re-elected unanimously, then whoever voted against him needs to get their head examined.”

Infantino apologized for his proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company to run the commercial and operational aspects of FIFA’s tournaments, with an idea to sell off around 20% to private investors – including a company headed by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The proposal was scrapped and Giuliani added: “Look, we are all human beings, and I think it’s one of those things where sport has become monetised and commercialised.

“I would just say that you have got to look at Gianni’s full body of work and to also realize that he’s always trying to improve his organisation, and I think that’s the thing.

“Just because you’re always trying to improve doesn’t mean that you’re not going to take a misstep here or there, right? As a human being, it happens, but I would look at the body of work and say this is the guy I would want leading.”

(c) 2026 dpa Deutsche Presse Agentur GmbH

Cuba's ex-president Raul Castro makes rare public appearance after US indictment


Cuba's Raul Castro made a rare public appearance Thursday at a celebration marking the centenary of his brother Fidel's birth. The 95-year-old former president, who was indicted by the US in May over an incident during his tenure as defence minister, received a standing ovation at the secure event in Havana amid a deepening economic crisis and frequent energy blackouts.


Issued on: 14/08/2026 
By: FRANCE 24

Cuba's former president Raul Castro, 95, attends a gala marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of his late brother and revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on August 13, 2026. © Yamil Lage, AFP


US-indicted Cuban leader Raul Castro received a standing ovation as he appeared in public for the first time in months on Thursday, attending an event in Havana to mark the centenary of his brother Fidel's birth.

The 95-year-old head of the Cuban armed forces and former president entered the Karl Marx Theatre for a celebration rally amid the island's worst crisis in living memory.

READ MORECuba plunges into darkness as state energy firm reports new nationwide blackout

He appeared at the event dressed in his trademark olive-green military uniform, AFP reporters witnessed, amid tight security.


Cellphones were banned from the ceremony, bags were closely screened and delegates put through a metal detector by a sizeable security force.

Castro is the last surviving leader of Cuba's 1959 revolution and is seen as still wielding power on the island, despite stepping down as president in 2018.

In May, he was indicted by a court in the US state of Florida on four counts of murder.

The charges related to the downing of US civilian planes by Cuban forces on February 24, 1996, when Castro was defence minister.

He last appeared in public at a May 1 event in front of the US embassy in Havana, where he appeared frail, and was shown on state television at events in June.

The United States has set up an energy embargo on the communist-ruled island, demanding a change in government and deep economic and political reform.

Cover image: © France 24
03:26

In recent months President Donald Trump and other senior US officials have openly hinted at a military intervention or takeover of Cuba.

"All options are on the table, to include military options," Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.

"I think Cuba would be wise to pay attention to the willingness of President Trump to assert American strategic prerogatives."

WATCH MORE  Cuba: What does Trump really want?

Rallying the party faithful

The crisis and years of poor maintenance have fuelled rolling blackouts and shortages of basic goods.

In June, Cuba's presidency said on social media that the former president had approved a package of economic reforms aimed at addressing the crisis facing the island, which is under heavy pressure from Washington.

Raul Castro backs sweeping Cuba reforms to revive struggling economy

Cuba's Communist Party has used the 100 years since late president Fidel Castro's birth to rally the party faithful and the armed forces through a week-long series of exhibitions, concerts and conferences.

On Thursday they shouted "I am Fidel" and applauded throughout the performances and speeches.

But the anniversary has passed largely unnoticed by ordinary Cubans, who are more concerned with finding water, getting supplies and keeping cool in the intense summer heat.

For many, today's hardships only serve to highlight the absence of a leader who died a decade ago and is still seen as the wily strategist who outwitted his American foes.

Thursday's event featured La Colmenita, a Cuban children's theatre company that was a favourite of Fidel's.

Towards the end of the performance, Raul stood and gestured to the crowd that they should stand and applaud.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

WAIT,WHAT?!

Trump imposes tariffs of up to 100% on drone imports

President Donald Trump on Thursday imposed tariffs of up to 100% on imported drones and their components, including from key US allies, citing national security concerns and a need to reduce US reliance on foreign suppliers. The measures are set to take effect in 21 days.


Issued on: 14/08/2026 
By: FRANCE 24

US President Donald Trump talks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One on August 11, 2026. © Mark Schiefelbein, AP


President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will impose tariffs on imports of drones and their components, including from some key US allies, with the Trump administration saying the country was "too reliant" on foreign sources of drones.

A proclamation signed by Trump imposes a 100 percent ad valorem tariff on drones of a certain size or with certain capabilities that are particularly sensitive for national security purposes, the White House said, adding that a tariff of 25 percent will be imposed on smaller drones.

A 15 percent tariff will be imposed on drones and components from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan, and a 10 percent ad valorem tariff will be imposed on drones from the UK, the White House added.

Trump has made tariffs a central pillar of his foreign and trade policies despite legal setbacks and criticism from some analysts.

Trump said in the proclamation text released by the White House that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had probed the effects of imports of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones.

"The Secretary found that import penetration from foreign producers of UAS is substantial and that the United States is too reliant on foreign sources of UAS and UAS components," Trump said.

Lutnick found that drone and drone components from certain foreign entities "pose security and safety risks" and that the domestic US industry does not produce enough to meet security needs, Trump said.

The tariffs will take effect in 21 days, the White House said.

For components of drones that are not particularly sensitive, the tariffs will take effect 180 days after signing, it said.

For products the Pentagon has approved for an exemption from the Federal Communications Commission's "Covered List" within 20 days of signing, the tariffs will take effect 180 days after signing, the White House said.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

Indonesia to close more than 750 state-owned enterprises

Jakarta (AFP) – Indonesia's president mulled the possibility of a special court on Friday to investigate "unproductive" boards reporting "made up" profits, as he vowed to close 750 state-owned enterprises by year end.


Issued on: 14/08/2026 - FRANCE24

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto has vowed a crackdown on 'uproductive' state-owned enterprises © BAY ISMOYO / AFP

Southeast Asia's biggest economy has long battled corruption in its public and private sectors despite strengthening anti-graft laws, creating special investigative commissions and arresting several high profile people.

"There are far too many unproductive state-owned enterprises, always reporting losses while claiming profits -- those profits are just made up," Prabowo said in his state of the nation address to parliament.

With the establishment last year of Indonesia's Danantara sovereign wealth fund to manage state assets, "we discovered that there are 1,074 state-owned enterprises," the president told lawmakers.

"I had thought there were 300 or 400 state-owned enterprises, but it turns out there are 1,074. And these state-owned enterprises sometimes operate as they please, with no sense of responsibility to the nation, to the state."

So far, 290 have been closed, Prabowo added, and by December 31, there should be no more than 300 left.

"We will close more than 750 enterprises and retain only those that are productive, those that create added value for the people," the president added, in what "may be the largest corporate restructuring in the world."

The drive has already saved about 50 trillion rupiah (more than $2.8 billion) in overhead costs, including directors' and commissioners' salaries, building and car rentals and business travel, said Prabowo.

The target for this year was to save more than 70 trillion rupiah.

Thanks to "improvements" in how state-owned enterprises are managed, profits rose more than 75 percent from 2024 to 326 trillion rupiah last year, the president said.
'Improvements and efficiency'

Prabowo mooted the creation of "a special ad hoc court to investigate the management and boards" of state-owned enterprises "going back 30 years, maybe."

But he also asked lawmakers to consider a kind of "special amnesty for those who repent."

Indonesia scored a low 34 out of 100 on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index for 2025.

Graft has also been a rallying cry for protesters decrying rising living costs as Indonesia and the region reels from high oil prices caused by the Middle East war.

One project that comes in for particular criticism is the costly free school meals programme, Prabowo's signature project which he vowed Friday to pursue "but with improvements and efficiency."

"We cannot accept that one in four Indonesian children suffer from stunting," the president said.

Despite global uncertainty, Prabowo insisted the country was food and energy secure and said he was "confident" economic growth would reach 6.0 percent by the end of 2026.

GDP came in at 5.3 percent in the second quarter of the year, following on 5.6 percent in the first, though analysts have repeatedly expressed scepticism about Indonesia's official growth data.

"Growth and investment are not the ultimate goal," Prabowo said Friday.

"Our goal is the prosperity of our people... Every rupiah of investment must create jobs and improve the quality of life of our people, especially those at the bottom."

© 2026 AFP

Brazilian police recover Matisse works stolen in 2025

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Police in Brazil have recovered eight engravings by French artist Henri Matisse that were stolen from a Sao Paulo library last year by an organized gang of thieves, officials said on Thursday.


Issued on: 14/08/2026 - FRANCE24

Sau Paulo police say thieves overpowered a security guard at the library before grabbing the Matisse engravings and fleeing © Handout / SAO PAULO'S POLICE PRESS OFFICE/AFP

Vividly colored artwork from Matisse's limited-edition art book "Jazz" were laid out on a table alongside a handgun, in an image released by police.

The works, estimated to be worth $200,000, were found at a home in the town of Sao Bernardo do Campo, near Sao Paulo.

Officers arrested a man who was keeping the works for the mastermind of the heist, police said, adding that he will face charges of receiving stolen goods and illegal weapon possession.

The alleged mastermind was apprehended in April and a woman has also been arrested in the case.

Police said the gang behind the robbery was highly organized and structured, with specific tasks assigned to members as it stole artworks in Brazil and sold them on the black market.

In the Matisse robbery last year, police say thieves overpowered a security guard and an elderly couple visiting the Mario de Andrade Library, grabbed the engravings and other items from a glass dome where they were kept, and fled.

They also stole five works by the Brazilian artist Candido Portinari, but these have not been recovered and may have already been sold.

One of the suspects was arrested the day after the theft via the use of the city's facial recognition system.

As part of the investigation, police conducted operations targeting "establishments related to the auction market and the sale of artworks" in municipalities such as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

The Matisse engravings were part of a modern art exhibition highlighting a collaboration between the library and the Museum of Modern Art of Sao Paulo.

"Jazz" was published in France in 1947 and there are 250 copies signed by the artist, according to auction house Christie's.

© 2026 AFP