Indonesia's President Joko Widodo said on Thursday he had congratulated Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto after unofficial counts showed him winning the presidential election in a single round of voting.
“I have [congratulated him], in person last night,” Mr Joko said.
Mr Prabowo, 72, declared a “victory for all Indonesians” before jubilant supporters late on Wednesday, after so-called quick ballot counts by independent pollsters showed he had won nearly 60 per cent of votes.
Mr Prabowo's win is not yet official – his two rivals have not yet conceded and the official results could take up to a month to be tabulated.
Official results are expected by March 20 and, if confirmed, the new president and vice-president will take office in October.
The early counts, conducted by polling agencies and based on millions of ballots sampled from the across the country, have proved accurate in past elections.
“We should not be arrogant. We should not be proud. We should not be euphoric. We still have to be humble. This victory must be a victory for all Indonesian people,” Mr Prabowo said in a speech broadcast on national television from a sports stadium on the night of the election.
A former rival of Mr Joko who lost two presidential races to him, Mr Prabowo embraced the popular leader to run as his heir.
The wealthy former general even chose Mr Joko's son as his running mate, a choice that ran up against constitutional age limits and has activists worried about an emerging political dynasty in the 25-year-old democracy.
Mr Joko's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is poised to become the youngest vice-president in Indonesia's history.
Spokespersons for Mr Prabowo's rivals, former governors Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo, who trailed at least 33 points behind in quick counts, said they would investigate allegations of “systematic and massive fraud”, but have not provided any evidence.
Second-placed rival Mr Anies, who gathered 25 per cent of the vote, said his team will wait for the official results and respect the people's decision.
Independent analysts said there were no signs of systematic electoral fraud.
Mr Prabowo was born in 1951 to one of Indonesia's most powerful families.
His father, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, was an influential politician, and a minister under presidents Sukarno and Suharto. His father first worked for Sukarno, but later turned against him and was forced into exile.
Mr Prabowo spent most of his childhood overseas and speaks French, German, English and Dutch.
The family returned to Indonesia after Gen Suharto came to power in 1967 after a failed left-wing coup.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Andor
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More on Quran memorisation:
Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Greatest Royal Rumble card
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
