JAKARTA, Indonesia — Thousands of taxi drivers caused traffic chaos in the Indonesian capital Tuesday in a rowdy protest against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing apps such as Uber.

TV footage showed long lines of taxis and three-wheel minicabs blocking a central expressway, men setting tires alight and jumping on vehicles that refused to join in the protest. Green-jacketed drivers for Go-Jek, an app used to hail motorcycle taxis, retaliated by hurling rocks and other objects at those protesting. An Associated Press reporter witnessed drivers surrounding one taxi, forcing its terrified female passenger on to the road with her luggage.

It is the second major protest by taxi drivers in Jakarta this month. They say competition from ride-hailing apps, which don't face the same costs and rules as regular taxis, has severely reduced their income. Many come to Jakarta from other parts of Indonesia and support their families as taxi drivers.

Driver Jeffrey Sumampouw said his earnings have slumped more than 60 percent since Uber and other apps starting getting popular in Jakarta about a year ago.

"The government must defend us from illegal drivers who have stolen our income," he said. "We almost cry every day because it's difficult to get passengers."

Smartphone-based apps such as Uber have turned the public transport industry on its head worldwide. In the U.S. and Europe, the apps have been acclaimed by urban customers tired of struggling to find cabs, while taxi companies accuse the mavericks of running unlicensed services.

Uber has been making a big push into Asia, intensifying competition in a region where there already was a slew of ride-hailing apps such as Malaysia's Grab, which operates in several Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia.

On Monday, Grab said it had formed a strategic partnership with Lippo, which is one of Indonesia's largest conglomerates, and claimed its "GrabCar" business in Indonesia grew 30 percent last month. Go-Jek, an Indonesian startup that hails motorcycle taxis and provides other services like document and food delivery, has also exploded in popularity in the past year.

 Taxi drivers shout slogans during a protest against competition from ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Grab outside the parliament in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, March 22, 2016. Photo: Achmad Ibrahim / Associated Press

The demonstrations Tuesday elicited little if any sympathy from commuters in a city of 10 million people that already suffers massive congestion.

"This protest is so terrible. They really are rude and overbearing. I was very hurt," said Dewi Gayatri, who missed her flight for a business trip to Makassar in eastern Indonesia.

"I still like Uber, and hope the government protects Uber, because it's so easy to order and cheaper," she said.

Indonesia's vice president Jusuf Kalla complained it was the first time his motorcade had been stuck in traffic since being elected nearly two years ago.

Kalla, who was on his way to pay respects to 13 army officers killed in a helicopter crash in Sulawesi on the weekend, said "technology could not be resisted."

Officials have given mixed signals recently about how ride apps would be regulated. Indonesia's president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has previously defended the Go-Jek app in particular as making life easier for Jakarta residents and refused calls to ban it.

Minister of Information Technology and Communications Rudiantara, who goes by one name, said last week the government wants to "level the playing field" by ensuring all transport is regulated. "We are not talking about blocking or unblocking because technology is neutral," he said at a press conference following a protest involving hundreds of drivers.

Haryono, a driver for the Blue Bird taxi company, said he wanted to keep on working Tuesday but couldn't avoid the protest.

"I was forced to stop and join with them," he said. "I cannot do anything because they look angry. It would be dangerous for me, my passenger and my vehicle if I denied their request."

Story: Niniek Karmini and Stephen Wright, Associated Press

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HAVANA — Cubans were glued to their televisions on Monday, many watching in a state of shock as President Raul Castro faced tough questions from American journalists who challenged him to defend Cuba's record on human rights and political prisoners.

In a country where publicly questioning the authority of Castro and his brother and predecessor Fidel is unthinkable for most, and where the docile state-run media almost always toe the party line, the live broadcast was must-see TV. Some also marveled at tough questioning of President Barack Obama, simply unaccustomed to seeing any leader challenged in such a way.

"This is pure history and I never thought I'd see something like this," said Marlene Pino, a 47-year-old engineer. "It's difficult to quickly assimilate what's happening here. For me it's extraordinary to see this."

"It's like a movie, but based on real life," said Ricardo Herrera a 45-year-old street food vendor.

In one eye-catching moment, Castro's response suggested that perhaps Havana is not always perfect on human rights. He argued that no country is, said it is incumbent on all to try to do better and defended his government's support of what it considers important human rights issues: providing universal, free education and health care.

At an outdoor cafe in the Vedado neighborhood, about a dozen Cubans and tourists watched in awed silence as both Castro and Obama spoke. One stunned woman held a hand to her mouth.

"It's very significant to hear this from our president, for him to recognize that not all human rights are respected in Cuba," said Raul Rios, a 47-year-old driver who also expressed agreement with the president's more nuanced explanation about rights and his argument that that no country is perfect.

"We are living in historic times, the United States and Cuba," Rios added. "Nobody could have imagined this in the past. I think this marks a before and after."

It's extremely rare for Castro to hold a news conference, though he sometimes takes questions from reporters spontaneously when the mood strikes. He's known as a much more cautious and reluctant public speaker than his loquacious older brother Fidel, who was given to talking for hours at a time and often directly with journalists.

The Cuban government and the Communist Party control nearly all media in Cuba, including TV and radio channels and print newspapers. There are a handful of independent online outlets, though more critical ones like dissident blogger Yoani Sanchez's 14ymedio are blocked on the island — and certainly never get access to the president or other top officials.

Monday's news conference also included an exchange between Castro and CNN reporter Jim Acosta, a second-generation Cuban-American, who asked about political prisoners in Cuba.

Castro testily addressed Acosta directly, saying "After this meeting is over, you can give me a list of political prisoners, and if we have those political prisoners, they will be released before tonight ends."

Cuba is criticized for briefly detaining demonstrators thousands of times a year but has drastically reduced its practice of handing down long prison sentences for crimes human rights groups consider to be political. Amnesty International said in its 2015-2016 report that it knew of no prisoners of conscience in Cuba, although a non-governmental group in Cuba that monitors human rights says it has a list of 80 behind bars and 11 more under house arrest. Cuban officials say many of those are common criminals.

Many islanders have a laundry list of complaints about daily life: corruption, scarcity, low salaries and so on. But few express sympathy for the outspoken political opponents of the Communist system.

"The journalist asked him about some political prisoners who aren't political prisoners. So the response from the president was very good, very appropriate: 'Show me the list,'" said Oscar Rodriguez, 81. "The questions shouldn't be so aggressive."

Alexander Galvez, a 43-year-old artist, was not impressed by Castro, who fidgeted with the headphones that piped in translations and then abruptly ended the news conference, saying, "I think this is enough."

"I think his answers left a lot to be desired. Raul seemed really nervous to me," Galvez said. "I also thought he was a bit jammed up. I would have liked for him to let them ask more questions and be open to all kinds of questions."

Story: Andrea Rodriquez and Peter Osri, Associated Press