Suicide bombers kill 3 policemen

#suicidebomber #terrorism #IS #Indonesia #Jakarta #victims #incident

Two blasts, just five minutes apart, rocked the Jakarta’s Kampung Melayu terminal, killing three Indonesian police officers and injuring at least 10 people. The two blasts were carried out by two male suicide bombers, as confirmed after examining the scene.

Indonesia has suffered a series of mostly low-level attacks by Islamic State sympathizers in the last 17 months.

The explosives had been packed in pressure cookers, similar to that used by the lone attacker in Bandung in February.

Authorities believe that more than 400 Indonesian people have joined the IS group, and might pose a more lethal threat to the country.

Read the full article here

Please pray for dead and speedy recovery for the injured.

UK Cruise ship damages Indonesian coral reef

#UK #cruise #Indonesia #environment #coralReef

A British-owned cruise ship smashed a part of the Indonesian coral reefs, causing extensive damage to one of the world’s most biodiverse marine habitats. The restoration cost of the damage is believed to be as high as $16.2 million, according to a marine researcher.

Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia has long been a top attraction for intrepid travelers and avid divers, home to palm-fringed islands surrounded by an underwater kaleidoscope of coral and fish.

Unfortunately, the 4,200 ton Caledonian Sky slammed into the reefs at low tide. It was carrying 102 passengers and 79 crew members at the time. The ship went into an area that it should not have entered due to the unique coral reefs.

In fact, local search and rescue officials said that they went to help the ship and wanted the passengers to evacuate immediately. But one of the passengers and the captain of the ship asked for a tug boat so that the ship could be pulled out of the area, which in turn caused even more damage to the reef. (Really people?!)

The Indonesian government said it was assessing the impact and would seek compensation from the operator.

Read the full article here.

The King visits Indonesia

#KingSalman #SaudiArabia #Indonesia #PresidentJokoWidodo #Jakarta #Mercedes #lavish

King Salman visited Indonesia’s capital Jakarta on March 1st. This is a first visit by a Saudi Arabian King to the country after 47 years.

As expected, the King was accompanied by about 1,000 people, including princes and ministers, and was welcomed by President Joko Widodo and a guard of honor. The King also brought 459 tons of equipment including Mercedes limousines and escalators for the King to disembark from the plane.

Business deals could be announced, and a series of cooperation memoranda are also set to be signed on issues ranging from security, to health and education during the three-day visit to Jakarta. Indonesia will also seek approval to send more citizens to the annual hajj pilgrimage in western Saudi Arabia.

Read the full article here.

Earthquake felt in northern Australia and Indonesia

An earthquake, an undersea-quake, hit about 278 kilometres east-northeast of Dili in East Timor at a depth of 158 kilometres. The 6.5 magnitude quake was felt in northern Australia and some parts of Indonesia. Residents in Darwin reported widespread shaking, but there were no reports of damage. No tsunami warning was issued.

The Darwin based Bureau of Meteorology said that people on the third floor were shaken from the quake, and that ‘it lasted several minutes’. In Indonesia, residents in the southwest of the Moluccas island chain felt the quake although there were no reports of damage or casualties. Read the full article here.

Many dead in Indonesian Earthquake

In a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in Aceh province, Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Wednesday, 25 people have already been confirmed dead. Many have been reported injured with broken bones and other injuries.

Heavy machines are being used to pick up the remnants of broken shops, homes and mosques. Some people are still trapped beneath the rubble, alive and dead, and authorities are putting in all their efforts in the rescue operations.

No tsunami warning has been issued yet. Indonesia lies in the Pacific ring of fire where tectonic plates collide. Hence, there are frequent earthquakes in the region.

Another 6.5 magnitude earthquake had already taken place in West Sumatra, early in June this year. Read the whole article here!

Pray for the departed souls and Wish for quick recovery for those injured.