Page 8 - Indonesia

Indonesia bus crash kills 11, mostly students, due to brake failure

A bus slammed into cars and motorbikes after its brakes apparently malfunctioned in Indonesia's West Java province, killing at least 11 people, mostly students, and injuring dozens of others, officials said on Sunday. The bus carrying 61 students and teachers was returning to a high school in Depok outside Jakarta, the capital, late Saturday from the hilly resort area of Bandung after a graduation celebration, said West Java police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast. It sped out of control on a downhill road and crossed lanes, hitting several cars and motorbikes before it crashed into an electricity pole, he said. Nine people died at the scene and two others died later in the hospital, including a teacher and a local motorist, Abast said. Fifty-three other people were hospitalised with injuries, including some in critical condition, he said. We are still investigating the cause of the accident, but a preliminary investigation showed the bus's brakes malfunctioned, Abast said. Local

Torrential rain, flood and landslide hit Indonesian island, 14 dead

A flood and a landslide hit Indonesia's Sulawesi island, killing 14 people, officials said Saturday. Torrential rain pounding the area since Thursday triggered a landslide in Luwu district in South Sulawesi province, said local rescue chief Mexianus Bekabel. Floods up to 3 meters (10 feet) have affected 13 sub-districts as water and mud covered the area. More than 1,000 houses were affected, with 42 of them swept off their foundations. A search and rescue team worked to evacuate residents using rubber boats and other vehicles. More than 100 residents have been moved to mosques or relatives' houses outside the affected area, National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said Saturday. Seasonal downpours cause frequent landslides and floods in Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or in fertile floodplains. Torrential rains in April triggered landslides and killed 20 people in Tana Toraja district of South Sulawesi ..

India, Indonesia vow to expand overall bilateral defence partnership

India and Indonesia on Friday vowed to expand overall bilateral defence ties, especially in areas maritime security and industrial engagement for production of military equipment. Various aspects of defence and strategic relations between the two countries figured at the seventh India-Indonesia Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) meeting that took place in Delhi. The defence ministry said both sides expressed satisfaction at the expanding scope of defence cooperation. "The progress made on various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives deliberated in meetings of working groups on defence cooperation and defence industries cooperation was also reviewed by the co-chairs," it said. The meeting was co-chaired by defence secretary Giridhar Aramane and his Indonesian counterpart Air Marshal Donny Ermawan Taufanto. "The dignitaries identified means to enhance existing areas of collaboration especially in the field of defence industry ties, maritime security and multilateral ...

Tobacco prices to rise in Andhra after crop failure in Brazil, Indonesia

Prices range between Rs 280 and Rs 290 per kg and are predicted to surpass Rs 300 per kg in Andhra Pradesh market

Microsoft set to invest $1.7 billion in cloud, AI in Indonesia: CEO Nadella

Microsoft will train 2.5 million people in Southeast Asia in AI use by 2025, Nadella said

6.1 magnitude earthquake shakes Indonesia's Java Island, felt in Jakarta

A strong magnitude 6.1 earthquake shook the southern part of Indonesia's main island of Java on Saturday, but there were no immediate reports of injury or significant property damage. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck 102 kilometers (63 miles) south of Banjar city at a depth of 68.3 kilometers (42.4 miles). There was no tsunami warning. High-rises in the capital Jakarta swayed for around a minute and two-story homes shook strongly in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung and in Jakarta's satellite cities of Depok, Tangerang, Bogor and Bekasi. The quake was also felt in other cities in West Java, Yogyakarta and East Java province, according to Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency. The agency warned of possible aftershocks. Earthquakes are frequent across the sprawling archipelago nation, but they are rarely felt in Jakarta. Indonesia, a seismically active archipelago of 270 million people, is prone to seismic upheaval because of its locat

Airport near volcano reopens as Indonesia lowers eruption alert level

Indonesian authorities reopened an international airport near a volcano that erupted last week as they lowered a warning level on Monday. Sam Ratulangi airport has been closed since Thursday due to eruptions at nearby Mount Ruang. Indonesia's Disaster Management Agency lowered the volcano's alert level from four, the second-highest level, to three, but said residents were still ordered to remain at least 4 kilometers (2.7 miles) away from the mountain. More than 3,000 residents have been evacuated since Thursday due to dangers including ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and fears of a tsunami. A joint team from the local authorities combed the villages surrounding the volcano and evacuated residents by boat. Danger continued with the possibility of small-scale eruptions, which could cause rock slides and other damage in the immediate area of the volcano. Officials opened the airport after satellite imagery showed that rains had washed away volcanic ash covering the ...

Over 2,100 people evacuated as Indonesian volcano spews clouds of ash

More than 2,100 people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami. Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation recorded at least three eruptions since Friday afternoon, with the maximum height of the eruption column reaching 1,200 meters (3,900 feet). An international airport in Manado city, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the erupting Mount Ruang, is still temporarily closed as volcanic ash was spewed into the air. Satellite imagery from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency shows the ash has spread to the west, northwest, northeast and southeast, covering Manado and North Minahasa, according to a statement from Indonesia's Transportation Ministry. We are still monitoring developments in the eruption of Mount Ruang and coordinating with relevant stakeholders to anticipate the necessary acti

After India and Vietnam, Apple looks to manufacture products in Indonesia

American tech giant does not have a manufacturing base in Indonesia, where iPhones and Apple computers have a strong following

Indonesia under tsunami alert as country witnesses big volcanic eruptions

Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami alert Wednesday after eruptions at Ruang mountain sent ash thousands of feet high. Officials ordered more than 11,000 people to leave the area. The volcano on the northern side of Sulawesi island had at least five large eruptions in the past 24 hours, Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation said. Authorities raised their volcano alert to its highest level. At least 800 residents left the area earlier Wednesday. Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes. It is prone to volcanic activity because it sits along the Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean. Authorities urged tourists and others to stay at least 6 km (3.7 miles) from the 725-metre (2,378 foot) Ruang volcano. Officials worry that part of the volcano could collapse into the sea and cause a tsunami as in a 1871 eruption there. Tagulandang island to the volcano's northeast is

Alert in Indonesia: Mount Ruang Volcano Erupts, Mass Evacuations Underway

Indonesian authorities have issued a tsunami alert and closed an airport following multiple volcanic eruptions in the country on April 17.

China and Indonesia ministers call for immediate, lasting ceasefire in Gaza

The Chinese and Indonesian foreign ministers called for an immediate and lasting cease-fire in Gaza after a meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, condemning the humanitarian costs of the ongoing war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Indonesia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi told reporters that the two countries share the same view about the importance of a cease-fire and of resolving the Palestinian problem through a two-state solution. I am sure that China would use its influence to prevent escalation, Marsudi said, adding that China and Indonesia "would also fully support Palestine's membership in the UN. The meeting took place on the second day of a six-day tour during which Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will also visit Papua New Guinea and Cambodia. Wang blamed the United States for holding up ceasefire resolutions at the UN. The conflict in Gaza has lasted for half a year and caused a rare humanitarian tragedy in the 21st century. The United Nations

At least 18 dead, 2 missing as landslides hit Indonesia's Sulawesi island

A search and rescue team found 18 people killed by landslides on Indonesia's Sulawesi island and are still looking for two missing, officials said Monday. Rescuers found about 14 bodies in Makale village on Sunday afternoon and four in South Makale, said Mexianus Bekabel, the chief of Makassar Search and Rescue. We are still looking for two more victims, but fog and drizzle made the search difficult and officers in the field were overwhelmed, Sulaiman Malia, chief of the Tana Toraja district Disaster Management Agency, said on Monday. Loosened by torrential rain, mud poured from surrounding hills onto four houses just before midnight Saturday in the Tana Toraja district of South Sulawesi province, said local police chief Gunardi Mundu. He said a family gathering was being held in one of the houses when the landslide hit. Dozens of soldiers, police and volunteers joined the search in the remote hillside villages of Makale and South Makale, Mundu said. Rescuers early Sunday managed t

Indonesian cabinet ministers deny claims they misused government aid

Four Indonesian Cabinet members testified Friday that no rules were violated in the distribution of government aid during the recent election campaign, despite claims by the two losing presidential candidates that it was used for the benefit of the election winner. Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto won the election with 58.6% of the votes, or more than 96 million ballots, more than twice the amount received by each of the two runner-ups in the three-way race, according to the General Election Commission. The losing candidates former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan and former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo say the election was marred by irregularities and are asking the Constitutional Court to annul the results and order a revote in separate lawsuits. They say Subianto's victory was the result of widespread fraud and that outgoing President Joko Widodo and his administration bent laws and norms to support Subianto, with government social aid used as a tool to buy votes. Indonesian .

Indonesia's prez-elect holds talks with Malaysian leader on bolstering ties

Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto held talks Thursday with Malaysia's leader on bolstering bilateral ties as part of a regional visit that has also taken him to China and Japan. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he and Subianto discussed next steps to strengthen bilateral ties, and also exchanged views on their political experiences. Our political journeys are almost similar as we were both tested with various challenges before being appointed," Anwar said in a statement on Facebook after their meeting. He said Subianto also recalled his secondary education at a school in Kuala Lumpur. May Malaysia-Indonesia relationship continue to be strengthened for our common good, he added. Subianto, who is currently defence minister, will succeed Joko Widodo in October. The wealthy ex-general chose Beijing for his first official visit after his February election victory in a bid to emphasise the countries' robust ties amid rising tensions in the South China Sea. In his Monday meeting

After China visit, Indonesia prez-elect vows to strengthen ties with Japan

Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto said he wants to further strengthen relations with Japan as he met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday on the heels of a visit to China. Subianto, who's currently defence minister, told Kishida that the two countries are longtime friends who have built a cooperative relationship, and that he hoped to further strengthen the relationship. Japan has been seeking closer ties with Southeast Asian countries, especially in maritime security and defence, in the face of China's increasingly assertive military presence. Subianto, who will succeed Joko Widodo in October, chose Beijing for his first official overseas trip after his February election victory in a bid to emphasise steady ties with China amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have had repeated high-seas confrontations. In his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Subianto pledged a continued friendly policy toward China. Chi

Indonesia's defence minister, accused of abuses, is declared poll winner

Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto was announced the winner of the presidential election in the world's third-largest democracy on Wednesday over two former governors who vow to contest the result in court over alleged irregularities. Subianto, who was accused of abuses under the past dictatorship and chose the son of the popular outgoing president as his running mate, won 58.6 per cent of the votes. Former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan received 24.9 per cent and former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo got 16.5 per cent, the General Election Commission said. It posted polling stations' tabulation forms on its website, allowing for independent verification. Subianto said he will respect those who made different choices in the vote. We call on all Indonesian people to look to the future together," he told a news conference. "We must unite and join hands because our challenges as a nation are very big. Subianto has received congratulatory messages from other Southeast Asian .

Prabowo Subianto wins Indonesia's presidential election, says poll body

Prabowo is expected to take over from outgoing President Joko Widodo in October. He is expected to speak later on Wednesday

At least 26 dead, 11 missing after flash floods hit Indonesia's Sumatra

Rescuers recovered more bodies as waters began to recede after flash floods and landslides caused by torrential rains on Indonesia's Sumatra island, which have killed at least 26 people and left 11 missing, officials said Monday. Monsoon rains and rising rivers have submerged nine districts and cities in West Sumatra province since Thursday. Late Friday, a major mudslide caused a river to breach its banks and tear through mountainside villages in Pesisir Selatan district. Relief efforts for have been hampered by power outages, damaged bridges and roads blocked by thick mud and debris, the National Disaster Management Agency said. Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said rescuers recovered more bodies, mostly in the worst-hit villages in Pesisir Selatan and its neighboring Padang Pariaman district, bringing the death toll rose to 26. Landslides buried at least 14 houses, he said. At least two villagers were injured and rescuers were still searching for 11 people reportedly ...

At least 19 dead, 7 missing as landslides hit Indonesia's Sumatra island

Torrential rains have triggered flash floods and a landslide on Indonesia's Sumatra island, killing at least 19 people and leaving seven others missing, officials said Sunday. Tons of mud, rocks and uprooted trees rolled down a mountain late Friday, reaching a river that burst its banks and tore through mountainside villages in Pesisir Selatan district of West Sumatra province, said Doni Yusrizal, who heads the local disaster management agency. Rescuers by Saturday pulled out seven bodies in the worst-hit village of Koto XI Tarusan, and recovered three others in two neighboring villages, Yusrizal said. Rescuers retrieved six bodies in Pesisir Selatan and three more in the neighboring district of Padang Pariaman, bringing the death toll to 19, the National Disaster Management Agency said on Sunday. The agency in a statement said at least two villagers were injured by the flash flood and rescuers are searching for seven people who are reportedly still missing. It said more than 80,0