Tue, 21-Oct-2025

At Least 15 Lives Lost, 19 Missing in Indonesia Ferry Sinking

Indonesia Ferry Sinking

Tragic boat sinking off Indonesia’s Sulawesi island: 15 fatalities confirmed, all missing passengers found. Rescue operation concluded, 27 remaining passengers located, identities established. Incident involved a wooden passenger boat, not a ferry; overcrowding not confirmed. A tragic incident occurred off the coast of Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, where a wooden boat carrying 48 passengers sank. According … Read more

Fatal Boat Sinking off Sulawesi Coast, Indonesia

Fatal Boat Sinking

All missing passengers have been accounted for. Six individuals rescued and taken to hospital. Cause of sinking under investigation. A tragic incident occurred off the coast of Sulawesi island in Indonesia, where a wooden boat sank, resulting in the loss of at least 15 lives. According to search and rescue officials, all missing passengers have … Read more

Indonesia Busts Organ Trafficking Ring, Arrests 12 for Human Trafficking

Indonesia Organ Trafficking

Charges include violating human trafficking law, facing up to 15 years in prison and a fine if convicted. Victims recruited through social media, promised 135 million rupiah each for their kidneys. Economic hardships during the pandemic contributed to victims’ decisions to sell organs. Indonesian authorities have apprehended 12 individuals, including a policeman and an immigration … Read more

2023 World Beach Games canceled after Indonesian city Bali withdraws as host

2023 World Beach Games canceled after Indonesian city Bali withdraws as host

The Games were scheduled to take place from August 12-21, 2023. The cancellation is a major blow to the Indonesian Olympic Committee. The decision to cancel the Games has also been met with disappointment by athletes. The Indonesian city of Bali withdrew as host, leaving the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) no time to … Read more

Indonesia cough syrup deaths: Court approves case, providing comfort to relatives

Indonesia

Since 2022, acute renal damage has claimed the lives of more than 200 Indonesian youngsters. PT Universal Pharmaceutical Industries claimed to have used the same Indonesian Food. A spokeswoman for the Health Ministry stated that a compensation plan was being developed. Once an Indonesian court approved a class action lawsuit, parents whose kids suffered fatalities … Read more

Indonesia: Merapi volcano erupts, spewing heated cloud

Indonesia
  • The Merapi volcano spewed a heated cloud up to seven kilometers high.
  • People in the surrounding neighborhood have been told to halt all activity.
  • No residents have been evacuated.

The Merapi volcano in Indonesia erupted on Saturday, spewing a heated cloud up to seven kilometers high, according to the country’s disaster management office.

The volcano in Indonesia’s Yogyakarta special region erupted at about 12 p.m. local time (0500 GMT), resulting in a 1.5 km lava flow, according to the local authority.

People in the surrounding neighborhood have been told to halt all activity within three to seven kilometers of the crater, according to the statement.

Merapi, a 2,963-metre-high (9,721-foot) volcano in Indonesia, was already on the country’s second-highest alert level.

No residents have been evacuated, according to a local monitoring post official in Yulianto.

“This has only been observed as a one-time event, there have been 5-6 avalanches. If the coverage continues to increase and the distance is further than 7 kilometers, it is likely that the residents will be recommended to evacuate,” he said.

Indonesia has more volcanoes than any other country on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Merapi last erupted catastrophically in 2010, killing over 350 people.

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Two football officials in Indonesia imprisoned for catastrophes at stadium

Indonesia catastrophes stadium

Two football officials in Indonesia imprisoned for catastrophes at a stadium. In a stampede that left many people trampled and choked to death. Suko Sutrisno was eventually found guilty of carelessness and given 1-year prison term. SURABAYA: Two football match officials were imprisoned by an Indonesian court on Thursday for their incompetence in one of … Read more

Indonesian court sentenced soccer official for role in deadly stadium crush

Indonesian court
  • More than 130 people died during a crowd crush.
  • Judged sentenced head of the Organizational Committee for soccer club Arema FC.
  • Harris was determined to be guilty of selling too many tickets.

A senior soccer official was found guilty of negligence by an Indonesian court on Thursday for his role in the deaths of more than 130 people during a crowd crush at a match in the country’s East Java province last year, one of the biggest disasters in the sport’s history.

A judge sentenced Abdul Haris, Head of the Organizational Committee for soccer club Arema FC, to a year and a half in prison, making him the first person imprisoned in connection with the disaster.

Harris was determined to be guilty of selling too many tickets, surpassing the stadium’s maximum capacity.

After Arema FC supporters stormed onto the pitch following their defeat to rival Persebaya Surabaya in a match on October 1, police sprayed tear gas, causing a crowd crush as many ran towards the exits.

With 135 people killed, it was one of the world’s deadliest stadium stampedes.

An inquiry last year revealed that tear gas, a crowd control measure prohibited by FIFA, was the primary cause of death.

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At least 16 people killed in a fire at an Indonesian fuel storage station

Indonesian fuel storage station
  • Indonesia’s state-owned energy firm operates the station.
  • Several neighboring residents have been evacuated.
  • Other adjacent facilities will supply fuel to Jakarta, according to Widyawati.

Jakarta, At least 16 persons were killed in a fire at a fuel storage tank in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Pertamina, Indonesia’s state-owned energy firm, operates the station.

Footage on social media showed a massive flame erupting and people fleeing for safety.

Several neighboring residents have been evacuated, and Jakarta‘s fire department has rushed 52 units to the scene.

Pertamina will investigate the cause of the fire and provide treatment for those affected, the company’s CEO Nicke Widyawati told sources in Indonesia.

Other adjacent facilities will supply fuel to Jakarta, according to Widyawati.

In 2018, five fishermen were killed in an oil spill caused by a breach in Pertamina’s undersea petroleum pipelines.

Indonesian authorities at the time declared a state of “emergency response” over the massive scale of the spill and environmental damage off the coast of the Southeast Asian country.

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Indonesia as ASEAN chair will step up talks on South China Sea code

Indonesia
  • Indonesia is prepared to host a round of COC negotiations this year.
  • Indonesia set up negotiations to finalize the code of conduct.
  • ASEAN nations have competing claims in the crucial waterway with China.

Jakarta: Indonesia aims to step up negotiations with China and other Southeast Asian countries to finalize a code of conduct (COC) for the disputed South China Sea, its foreign minister said on Saturday, as tensions in the vital waterway rise.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi was addressing in Jakarta at the conclusion of a conference of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the 10-member regional organization presided over by Indonesia this year.

“ASEAN’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific was central to the discussion,” she said. “We also discussed about the COC, the commitment of members to conclude the negotiation of the COC as soon as possible.”

Negotiations on the COC, a planned framework to aid in the resolution of territorial and maritime issues in the canal, have been deadlocked for years as some member states prioritize bilateral ties with China over regional consensus.

According to the foreign minister, Indonesia is prepared to host a round of COC negotiations this year, with the first taking place in March.

China claims sovereignty over practically the entire South China Sea based on its U-shaped “nine-dash line,” which the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said in 2016 had no legal basis.

The Philippines allowed the US increased access to its military sites earlier this week, in part due to Beijing’s broad claims in the resource-rich maritime area.

ASEAN nations the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei all have competing claims in the crucial waterway with China.

Although Indonesia is not an official claimant, it has received criticism from China on its development of oil and gas deposits in the North Natuna Sea. The government sent a warship to the area last month to keep an eye on a lingering Chinese coast patrol craft.

On the sidelines of the event, Sidharto R. Suryodipuro, director of ASEAN cooperation at Indonesia’s foreign ministry, said that “new approaches” would be explored by all ASEAN member states and Chinese counterparts to achieve progress on the COC.

“What’s important is that all agree that this should be an outlook that is implementable and in accordance with international law,” he said.

Separately, ASEAN members concluded their talks by reiterating their support for the bloc’s five-point peace plan for Myanmar, which includes the end of hostilities and the beginning of a dialogue.

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Indonesia tells outsiders not to use ASEAN as ‘proxy’

Indonesia
  • Indonesia warned global countries.
  • Indonesia appealed for unity and progress on the Myanmar situation.
  • Southeast Asia’s largest economy is the 2023 chair of the (ASEAN).

JAKARTA – At the start of a two-day meeting of regional foreign ministers, Indonesia warned global countries not to use Southeast Asia as a “proxy” for their rivalries, while simultaneously appealing for unity and progress on the Myanmar situation.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy is the 2023 chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and will host the bloc’s annual leaders’ meetings later this year, which are regularly attended by China and the United States.

Disputes over the South China Sea have divided some ASEAN members against Beijing and increased sympathy for US opposition to China’s growing assertiveness, but others have backed the Asian superpower on other matters.

President Joko Widodo urged ASEAN ministers

According to Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged ASEAN ministers in talks before Friday’s meeting that “ASEAN should not be a proxy for any party,” repeating a request he made during an ASEAN leaders’ conference in Cambodia last year.

Another topic that dominated discussions was the problem in Myanmar, which has been in upheaval since the army seized power in 2021.

The junta is still an ASEAN member, but it has been prevented from attending top-level summits due to a lack of progress on the bloc’s strategy to bring peace between the military and Myanmar’s anti-coup movement.

Myanmar’s foreign minister, Than Swe, was not present at the ASEAN discussions on Friday, owing to the bloc’s refusal to invite a junta member and instead preferring a “non-political representative” – an offer rejected by Naypyidaw.

There has been little progress on the “five-point accord” reached between ASEAN and the junta in April 2021, which called for an immediate cessation of violence and discussion between the military and insurgents.

But Widodo “emphasized that the five-point consensus of the ASEAN leaders should be the main agreement to assist the resolution of the problems in Myanmar”, Marsudi said.

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Cough syrup deaths prompt the WHO to call for “immediate action”

deaths
  • More than 300 children died.
  • Cough syrups contained high levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.
  • WHO urged its 194 member countries to take action to prevent further deaths.

London: Following a series of child deaths linked to cough syrups last year, the World Health Organization has called for “immediate and concerted action” to protect children from contaminated medicines.

More than 300 children, mostly under the age of five, died of acute kidney injury in Gambia, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan in 2022, the WHO said in a statement on Monday.

Over-the-counter cough syrups contained high levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.

“These contaminants are toxic chemicals used as industrial solvents and antifreeze agents that can be fatal even in small doses and should never be found in medicines,” according to the WHO.

In addition to the countries listed above, the WHO told on Monday that the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Senegal, and Cambodia could be affected because the medicines are on the market. It urged its 194 member countries to take action to prevent further deaths.

“Because these are not isolated incidents, WHO urges all key stakeholders involved in the medical supply chain to take immediate and coordinated action,” the organization said.

The WHO has already issued specific product alerts in October and earlier this month, requesting that cough syrups manufactured by India’s Maiden Pharmaceuticals and Marion Biotech be removed from the market after being linked to deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan, respectively.

It also issued a warning last year for cough syrups sold in Indonesia by four Indonesian manufacturers, PT Yarindo Farmatama, PT Universal Pharmaceutical, PT Konimex, and PT AFI Pharma.

The companies involved have either denied that their products were contaminated or have declined to comment while the investigations are still ongoing.

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Indonesian nickel smelter begins operations following a deadly riot

Nickel
  • Activities were being put on hold due to violence and protests that left two workers dead.
  • Due to the conflicts between demonstrators, employees, and security personnel.
  • More than 500 police and military personnel were deployed.

Police said that activities at a Jiangsu Delong Nickel Industry-owned nickel smelter in Indonesia have resumed after being put on hold due to violence and protests that left two workers dead over the weekend.

Conflicts between demonstrators, employees, and security personnel took place at the PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry (GNI) smelter, a division of Jiangsu Delong, and resulted in the deaths of an Indonesian and a Chinese worker, as well as the burning of vehicles and dorms.

The Central Sulawesi police spokeswoman Didik Supranoto said in a statement on Tuesday that “the situation at GNI in North Morowali is somewhat favorable and the firm today has commenced operating.”

“Hundreds of personnel have arrived at the site,” he continued, posting a video of workers arriving on motorcycles while police officers stood guard at the facility’s entrance. The workers were wearing grey uniforms and yellow helmets.

GNI was not available for comment. It stated in a statement on Monday that it is collaborating with the police to look into what sparked the incidents.

Indonesia’s police chief on Monday said more than 500 police and military personnel have been deployed to secure the nickel smelting facility, and more would reinforce.

The Chinese embassy in Jakarta condemned the violence.

“We, as the Indonesian Government did, condemn this vile incident, during which the violent breaking into the industrial park caused casualties of Chinese and Indonesian staff and damage of facilities in the park,” the embassy said in a statement.

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Indonesia- 6.2 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast

coast
  • A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island.
  • It occurred at about 6:30 a.m. local time.
  • People were terrified as a result of the earthquake.

Jakarta: A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island early Monday, according to the US Geological Survey.

The center of the quake occurred 48 kilometers (30 miles) south-southeast of Singkil in Aceh province, at a depth of 37 kilometers, according to the USGS.

It occurred about 6:30 a.m. local time (2230 GMT), and the USGS changed its initial measurement of 6.0 magnitude with a depth of 48 kilometers.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency of Indonesia (BMKG) placed it at 6.2 and claimed there was no fear of a tsunami, while the country’s disaster agency said there were no early reports of casualties or severe damage.

“People were terrified as a result of the earthquake. It lasted between 3 and 10 seconds in four districts of Aceh and North Sumatra “According to Abdul muhari, a spokesman for the BNPB disaster mitigation agency.

Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where tectonic plates collide.

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck the populated West Java province on the main island of Java on November 21, killing 602 people.

The majority of the victims were killed when buildings collapsed or landslides were triggered.

On December 26, 2004, one of Sumatra’s deadliest earthquakes occurred, triggering an Indian Ocean tsunami that killed over 230,000 people, including victims from Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.

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Indonesia sends a warship to monitor China coast guard vessel

Indonesia
  • Indonesia  sent a warship to the North Natuna Sea.
  • The Chinese ship CCG 5901 has been traveling in the Natuna Sea
  • Both nations claim resource-rich maritime territory as their own.

According to the commander of the country’s navy, Indonesia has sent a warship to the North Natuna Sea to keep an eye on a Chinese coast guard boat that has been operating in a resource-rich maritime territory both nations claim as their own.

Laksamana Madya Muhammad Ali, the head of the Indonesian navy, told the sources on Saturday that a warship, a marine patrol plane, and a drone had been sent out to watch the Chinese vessel.

“The Chinese vessel has not conducted any suspicious activities. However, we need to monitor it as it has been in Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for some time,” he added.

Since December 30, the Chinese ship CCG 5901 has been traveling in the Natuna Sea, notably close to the gas fields in Vietnam’s Chim Sao oil and gas field and Indonesia’s Tuna Block, according to ship tracking data, the Indonesian Ocean Justice Initiative told Reuters.

The largest coast guard ship in the world, the CCG 5901 from China, is known as “the monster” because of its size. Vessels are granted navigation rights through an EEZ under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam and Indonesia

Vietnam and Indonesia recently approved a development plan for the Tuna gas field, involving an estimated investment of more than $3bn to commence production. But the presence of a Chinese vessel in their exclusive economic zone (EEZ) may signal increasing Chinese assertiveness in the area.

In 2021, vessels from Indonesia and China kept an eye on one another for several months as they were in close proximity to a submersible oil rig that was conducting tests in Indonesia’s gas-field development area. China demanded that Indonesia stop the test drilling at the time, saying that the operations were occurring on its soil.

Indonesia and China are locked in a row over maritime territorial claims in the South China Sea. Indonesia maintains that under UNCLOS, the southern end of its exclusive economic zone – since renamed North Natuna Sea – is its exclusive maritime zone. It is part of a push back against China’s maritime territorial ambitions in the area.

China asserts that the oceanic space off the coast of Indonesia is under its vast territorial claim in the South China Sea, which is delineated by a “nine-dash line” in the shape of a U. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague determined that the nine-dash line lacked a legitimate foundation.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Jakarta was not immediately available for comment.

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Indonesia assigns warship to keep tabs on Chinese coast guard vessel

warships

Indonesia has deployed a warship to the North Natuna Sea. Warship will monitor any activity of Chinese coast guard vessel. Vessels from Indonesia and China trailed each other for months. According to the country’s naval chief, Indonesia has deployed a warship to the North Natuna Sea to monitor a Chinese coast guard vessel that has … Read more

Joko Widodo admits Indonesia’s past human rights violations

Joko Widodo

Joko Widodo has admitted “grave human rights violations” throughout nation’s history. He listed 12 “regrettable” occasions, one of which was a purge of communists. Some estimates place the death toll from the killings at about 500,000. Joko Widodo, the president of Indonesia, has admitted “grave human rights violations” throughout his nation’s history and promised to … Read more

Ban on extra marital affair tests democracy in Indonesia

Indonesia

One of several contentious amendments to Indonesia’s penal code this month. Rights activists say that the new code threatens Indonesians’ personal freedoms. Offenders face months-to-years in prison. The prohibition of extramarital sex, which was one of several contentious changes to Indonesia’s penal code passed earlier this month, grabbed the most of the attention. Tourism statistics … Read more

Indonesia’s president favors reducing soldiers in Papua

Indonesia

Indonesian President Joko Widodo backs Papua troop cuts. Widodo appointed a new chief of armed forces on Monday. Andika Perkasa, former military chief, prioritized Papua insurgents. The military of Indonesia has been charged with violating human rights while putting down a protracted independence movement in the eastern province of Papua, according to Indonesian President Joko … Read more

Cabinet approves Indonesia’s humanitarian grant for flood victims

Indonesia

Federal cabinet approved donation for flood victims Indonesia provided humanitarian grant of $1 million Indonesia also sent aid during the super floods. ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved a humanitarian grant of one million dollars for flood victims in Pakistan. The decision was made in the federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif … Read more

FM Bilawal to embark on three-day Indonesia, Singapore visits

Bilawal

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will visit Indonesia and Singapore He will attend 15th Bali Democracy Forum and International Conference on Afghan Women’s Education He will visit Singapore and hold meetings with officials ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will embark on three-day official visits to Indonesia and Singapore from Wednesday (tomorrow). The Foreign Office … Read more

PM offers Indonesian President relief support after deadly earthquake

Indonesian President

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday offered condolence to the Indonesian President on the loss of precious lives and assets due to an earthquake in West Java, Indonesia. In a telephone conversation held with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the prime minister observed that the people of Pakistan could feel the anguish of their Indonesian … Read more

Indonesia seeks 200 earthquake victims

Indonesia seeks 200 earthquake victims

Death toll rises to 268, with more than 1,000 injured, officials say. 151 people are still missing, according to the National Agency for Disaster Management. More than 22,000 dwellings were demolished and more than 58,000 people forced to flee their homes. A government representative from Cianjur, Herman Suherman, told the media that several residents were … Read more

Indonesia quake: Death toll rises to 162 after 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit Java

indonesia quake

A shallow 5.6-magnitude quake on the main island of Java in Indonesia killed at least 162 people. The quake was centered in Cianjur district. Canada’s prime minister and Pakistan’s foreign minister offer condolences for the loss of life. No casualties or serious damage were reported in Jakarta. On Monday, officials said that a shallow 5.6-magnitude … Read more

Indonesia quake kills 50, damages infrastructure, in west Java

Indonesia quake kills 50

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake killed at than 50 people and injured hundreds. The earthquake struck Cianjur, 75 km (45 miles) southeast of Jakarta. Nearly 3,900 people were compelled to flee their homes as a result of the disaster. An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck the province of West Java in Indonesia, causing at least … Read more