US President George W. Bush's unpopularity in the world's most populous Muslim nation made security jitters and angry protests the hallmarks of yesterday's six-hour trip to court Indonesian favor.
Through sheets of sometimes heavy rain, Bush flew by helicopter from the capital of Jakarta to this lush hilltop suburb for talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Bush, and his wife, Laura, smiled as they strolled up the red-carpeted steps of Bogor Palace, a graceful presidential retreat on vast grounds, signing a guest book and heading inside for the day's events.
"I admire Indonesia's pluralism and its diversity," Bush said, opening a discussion with moderate civic leaders. "It's very important for the people of America to understand that this vast country has got tremendous potential, but it's got a prominent role to play in the world in showing how it's possible for people to be able to live together in peace and harmony."
PHOTO: EPA
From the Bush-Yudhoyono meeting and joint press availability to round-table discussions and a state dinner, Bush was not interacting with the general populace or doing anything outside the palace confines.
Braced for the local reaction to the visit, thousands of police and rifle-toting soldiers patrolled Bogor's streets, jammed mobile phone signals and deployed water cannons.
Demonstrations by Islamic hardliners, students, housewives and taxi drivers alike have been staged every day this month. Thousands more marched yesterday, carrying posters showing victims of violence in Iraq.
Anti-Bush protesters tried to seal off US-owned restaurants in two Indonesian cities, witnesses said, and demonstrations were held in at least 10 cities.
For Bush, the risks of the trip appear to be worth it to bolster Yudhoyono's anti-terror cooperation, celebrate the country's democratic advances and try to dent anti-US sentiment.
With many Muslims around the world regarding his foreign policies as an affront to their faith, Bush also was eager to be seen soliciting Yudhoyono's advice about the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, the North Korean and Iranian nuclear standoffs and other world affairs.
Bush was expected to highlight America's quick dispatch of aid after the December 2004 tsunami that left 131,000 dead, 37,000 missing and 570,000 homeless in Indonesia alone -- and after a devastating earthquake in Pakistan in October last year.
He often speaks of both efforts as proof that the US can be a compassionate friend to Muslim nations.
AIR SUPPORT: The Ministry of National Defense thanked the US for the delivery, adding that it was an indicator of the White House’s commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) and Representative to the US Alexander Yui on Friday attended a delivery ceremony for the first of Taiwan’s long-awaited 66 F-16C/D Block 70 jets at a Lockheed Martin Corp factory in Greenville, South Carolina. “We are so proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to support Taiwan’s air defense capabilities,” US Representative William Timmons wrote on X, alongside a photograph of Taiwanese and US officials at the event. The F-16C/D Block 70 jets Taiwan ordered have the same capabilities as aircraft that had been upgraded to F-16Vs. The batch of Lockheed Martin
GRIDLOCK: The National Fire Agency’s Special Search and Rescue team is on standby to travel to the countries to help out with the rescue effort A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand yesterday, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. Footage shared on social media from Myanmar’s second-largest city showed widespread destruction, raising fears that many were trapped under the rubble or killed. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake, with an epicenter near Mandalay in Myanmar, struck at midday and was followed by a strong magnitude 6.4 aftershock. The extent of death, injury and destruction — especially in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a civil war and where information is tightly controlled at the best of times —
Taiwan was ranked the fourth-safest country in the world with a score of 82.9, trailing only Andorra, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in Numbeo’s Safety Index by Country report. Taiwan’s score improved by 0.1 points compared with last year’s mid-year report, which had Taiwan fourth with a score of 82.8. However, both scores were lower than in last year’s first review, when Taiwan scored 83.3, and are a long way from when Taiwan was named the second-safest country in the world in 2021, scoring 84.8. Taiwan ranked higher than Singapore in ninth with a score of 77.4 and Japan in 10th with
China's military today said it began joint army, navy and rocket force exercises around Taiwan to "serve as a stern warning and powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence," calling President William Lai (賴清德) a "parasite." The exercises come after Lai called Beijing a "foreign hostile force" last month. More than 10 Chinese military ships approached close to Taiwan's 24 nautical mile (44.4km) contiguous zone this morning and Taiwan sent its own warships to respond, two senior Taiwanese officials said. Taiwan has not yet detected any live fire by the Chinese military so far, one of the officials said. The drills took place after US Secretary