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Tag: Indonesia

  • Indonesian rescuers find body, wreckage after passenger aircraft with 11 people goes missing

    Indonesian rescuers on Sunday recovered a body in an ongoing search for 11 people aboard a regional passenger aircraft that is believed to have crashed the previous day. The plane lost contact with ground control Saturday while approaching a mountainous region between Indonesia’s main island of Java and Sulawesi island, officials said. 

    The rescue team retrieved the body of a man in a ravine about 200 meters, or 656 feet, deep on the slope of Mount Bulusaraung on Sunday afternoon, located near scattered aircraft debris. The evacuation of the body is underway, said Muhammad Arif Anwar, who heads Makassar’s Search and Rescue Office and is the mission coordinator.

    Teams also found additional wreckage, including parts of the aircraft frame and passenger seats, and visually identified what is believed to be the engine, Anwar said.

    The body has not yet been identified, but is believed to have come from the turboprop ATR 42-500 that was on its way from Yogyakarta on Indonesia’s main island of Java to Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi province, when it vanished from radar on Saturday shortly after being instructed by air traffic control to correct its approach alignment.

    The plane, operated by Indonesia Air Transport, was on the way from Yogyakarta to the capital city of South Sulawesi when it vanished from radar, said Endah Purnama Sari, a spokesperson for the Transportation Ministry. The aircraft was last tracked at 1:17 p.m. local time in the Leang-Leang area of Maros, a mountainous district of South Sulawesi province.

    Sari said the plane disappeared shortly after being instructed by air traffic control to correct its approach alignment: “After the last ATC instructions, radio contact was lost and controllers declared the emergency distress phase.”

    She said rescue teams focused their search around the mountains where the aircraft, with eight crew members and three passengers from the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry aboard, was believed to have deviated from its approach to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport. Weather conditions at the time indicated clouds and nearly 5-mile visibility, Sari said.

    A rescue team on an air force helicopter on Sunday morning spotted what appeared to be a small aircraft window in a forested area on the slope of Mount Bulusaraung, said Anwar. Rescuers on the ground later retrieved larger debris consistent with the main fuselage and tail scattered on a steep northern slope, Anwar told a news conference.

    “The discovery of the aircraft’s main sections significantly narrows the search zone and offers a crucial clue for tightening the search area,” Anwar said, “Our joint search and rescue teams are now focusing on searching for the victims, especially those who might still be alive.”

    Multiple search and rescue teams, supported by air force helicopters, drones and ground units, were deployed after the aircraft when missing. Hopes for locating the wreckage grew after hikers on Mount Bulusaraung reported finding scattered debris, a logo consistent with Indonesia Air Transport markings, and small fires still burning at the scene.

    “The sightings were reported to authorities and are being verified by rescue teams attempting to reach the area,” said Maj. Gen. Bangun Nawoko, the South Sulawesi’s Hasanuddin military commander.

    Ground and air rescue teams continued moving toward the wreckage site Sunday, despite strong winds, heavy fog and steep rugged terrain that have slowed the search, said Nawoko. The teams, which include more than 100 personnel, supported by the Specialized Search and Rescue Units of the army’s elite forces, have been dealing with heavy rain and thick fog with visibility of only about five meters at the summit, according to the military commander.

    “This affected movement and even forced the cancellation of a planned vertical descent for safety,” Nawoko said.

    Photos and videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency on Sunday showed rescuers were trekking along a steep, narrow mountain ridgeline blanketed in thick fog to reach scattered wreckage.

    Indonesia relies heavily on air transport and ferries to connect its over 17,000 islands. The Southeast Asian country has been plagued by transportation accidents in recent years, from plane and bus crashes to ferry sinkings.

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  • Malaysia and Indonesia ban Musk’s Grok over sexually explicit deepfakes – Tech Digest

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    Malaysia and Indonesia have blocked Elon Musk’s AI chatbot. The two countries are the first in the world to ban Grok following reports that the tool is being used to create sexually explicit deepfakes.

    This AI feature, hosted on Musk’s social media platform X, allows users to generate and edit images of real people without their consent. Regulators in both nations expressed deep concern that the technology is being weaponized to produce pornographic content involving women and children.

    Malaysia’s communications ministry stated that it issued multiple warnings to X regarding the “repeated misuse” of the chatbot earlier this year. However, officials claim the platform failed to address the inherent design flaws of the AI and instead focused only on its reporting process.

    Consequently, the service will remain blocked in Malaysia until effective safety safeguards are implemented to protect the public.

    In Indonesia, Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid described the generation of such content as a direct violation of human dignity and online safety. The country has a history of strict digital enforcement, having already banned platforms like OnlyFans and Pornhub for similar reasons.

    Victims in the region have shared stories of finding their personal photos manipulated into revealing outfits, noting that the platform’s reporting tools often fail to remove the images quickly enough.

    The controversy is now spreading to the United Kingdom, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the situation as “disgraceful.” Technology Secretary Liz Kendall warned that the government would support regulators if they chose to block access to X entirely for failing to comply with safety laws.

    In response to these growing international restrictions, Elon Musk has accused government officials of attempting to suppress free speech.


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    Chris Price

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  • Indonesian rescuers find second body as search for Spanish soccer coach and 2 children continues

    Indonesian rescuers recovered a second body Sunday in the ongoing search for a Spanish soccer coach and two of his children who went missing after a tour boat sank during their Christmas holiday.

    The rescue team retrieved the body floating near Padar island, about 1.2 miles from the site of the sinking, said Fathur Rahman, the Maumere Search and Rescue Office chief.

    The newly recovered body remains unidentified by authorities, but is believed to be that of a member of the family who was on a holiday in Indonesia’s Komodo National Park area. Rahman said the body was transported to a hospital in Labuan Bajo, a gateway town to the park in eastern Indonesia, for identification.

    Rescuers recover a body believed to be one of the victims of a tourist boat that sank on Dec. 26, in the waters near Padar Island in Komodo National Park, Indonesia.

    BASARNAS / AP


    The family holiday in the park area turned tragic for Valencia CF Women’s B coach Fernando Martín, 44, when the boat carrying him, his wife, their four children, four crew members and a local guide sank on the evening of Dec. 26 after suffering engine failure.

    Martín’s wife and one child, along with the four crew members and the guide, were rescued in the hours following the incident. But Martin, his two sons and another daughter, aged 9, 10 and 12, were unaccounted for.

    Rescuers found the first victim, the 12-year-old Spanish girl, three days later, floating near the northern waters of Serai island, fewer than a mile from the site of the sinking. Indonesian authorities confirmed with Martin’s wife and through medical and forensic identification that the girl was one of the missing children.

    Rahman said the Spanish government and families of the victims have been deeply involved. Spain’s ambassador formally requested continued reinforcement of the search in a Dec. 31 letter. Under Indonesian law, search operations typically last seven days, but can be extended if there are signs or chances of finding victims.

    “We are determined to find all the victims,” said Rahman, following a review by the joint SAR team that extended operations to Jan. 4. “We remain optimistic that the hard work of all SAR elements will yield results during this extended operation.”

    Indonesia Missing Tourists

    Rescuers recover a body believed to be one of the victims of a tourist boat that sank on Dec. 26, in the waters near Padar Island in Komodo National Park, Indonesia.

    BASARNAS / AP


    The search operation, on its tenth day on Sunday, continued for the remaining family members. Efforts have been reinforced with more than 160 personnel, supported by police and the navy, who were combing four sectors in inflatable boats, navy ships and rescue vessels equipped with sonar equipment and underwater navigation gear across the Komodo National Park waters. Divers were also deployed.

    Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its rugged landscapes, pristine beaches and an endangered lizard, the Komodo dragon. The park attracts thousands of international visitors for diving, trekking and wildlife tours.

    Indonesia is an archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, where boats are a common form of transportation. With lax safety standards and problems with overcrowding, accidents occur frequently.

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  • VIDEO: Cities begin ringing in New Year

    Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, making it the first major city to greet the new year at a celebration dampened by rain.South Pacific countries are the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks strike midnight in Auckland, a population of 1.7 million, 18 hours before the famous ball drops in New York’s Times Square.The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks launched from various floors of the 787-foot Sky Tower. Smaller community events were canceled across New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday due to forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms.Australia plans defiant celebration after country’s worst mass shootingAustralia’s east coast welcomes 2026 two hours after New Zealand, but in Sydney, the country’s largest city, celebrations will be held under the pall of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, killing 15 and wounding 40.A heavy police presence monitored the thousands who thronged to the downtown waterfront on Wednesday to watch a fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, in a first for the annual event.An hour before midnight, the massacre victims will be commemorated with one minute of silence while images of a menorah are projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd has been invited to show their solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community by shining their phone torches across the harbor.New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.“We can’t be in a situation where this horrible, criminal, terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city,” Minns told reporters on Wednesday.“We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he added.Indonesia and Hong Kong hold subdued eventsIn Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back New Year’s Eve festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by catastrophic floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.The capital, Jakarta, will not ring in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing instead subdued celebrations with a calm and reflective program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties altogether, calling for prayer and reflection instead. “Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali have been canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring 65 groups performing traditional dances.Hong Kong, too, will ring in 2026 without the usual spectacular and colorful explosions in the sky over its iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.The city’s tourism board will instead host a music show featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district. The facades of eight landmarks will turn into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.In Japan, crowds will gather at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony will be held at the Bosingak Pavilion.Berliners celebrate in snowTourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital’s cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. The famous Berlin TV Tower was nearly invisible thanks to the falling flakes and fog.___Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.

    WELLINGTON, New Zealand —

    Auckland rang in 2026 with a downtown fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, making it the first major city to greet the new year at a celebration dampened by rain.

    South Pacific countries are the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks strike midnight in Auckland, a population of 1.7 million, 18 hours before the famous ball drops in New York’s Times Square.

    The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks launched from various floors of the 787-foot Sky Tower. Smaller community events were canceled across New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday due to forecasts of rain and possible thunderstorms.

    Australia plans defiant celebration after country’s worst mass shooting

    Australia’s east coast welcomes 2026 two hours after New Zealand, but in Sydney, the country’s largest city, celebrations will be held under the pall of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, killing 15 and wounding 40.

    A heavy police presence monitored the thousands who thronged to the downtown waterfront on Wednesday to watch a fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, in a first for the annual event.

    An hour before midnight, the massacre victims will be commemorated with one minute of silence while images of a menorah are projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd has been invited to show their solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community by shining their phone torches across the harbor.

    New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.

    “We can’t be in a situation where this horrible, criminal, terrorist event changes the way we live in our beautiful city,” Minns told reporters on Wednesday.

    “We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he added.

    Indonesia and Hong Kong hold subdued events

    In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back New Year’s Eve festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by catastrophic floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.

    The capital, Jakarta, will not ring in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing instead subdued celebrations with a calm and reflective program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.

    Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties altogether, calling for prayer and reflection instead. “Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.

    Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali have been canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring 65 groups performing traditional dances.

    Hong Kong, too, will ring in 2026 without the usual spectacular and colorful explosions in the sky over its iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.

    The city’s tourism board will instead host a music show featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district. The facades of eight landmarks will turn into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.

    Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.

    In Japan, crowds will gather at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony will be held at the Bosingak Pavilion.

    Berliners celebrate in snow

    Tourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital’s cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. The famous Berlin TV Tower was nearly invisible thanks to the falling flakes and fog.

    ___

    Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.

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  • Spanish Family Missing After Boat Sinks off Indonesia

    MADRID, Dec 27 (Reuters) – ‌A ​Spanish family ‌of four is missing ​after a boat carrying eleven ‍people sank off ​the coast ​of ⁠Indonesia in extreme weather, Spanish authorities and an Indonesian news agency said on Saturday.

    The other ‌passengers – two more tourists from ​Spain, four ‌crew members ‍and a ⁠tour guide – were all rescued safely during the incident late on Friday, state news agency Antara reported.

    The ​vessel capsized in waves of up to three metres in the Padar Island Strait near the island of Labuan Bajo, a popular holiday spot, the island’s port authority told Antara.

    Indonesian rescue ​teams were looking for the missing family, Spain’s foreign ministry told Reuters.

    (Reporting by ​Victoria Waldersee; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – December 2025

    Reuters

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  • Explosive volcano eruption in Pacific Ring of Fire forces evacuations and grounds flights

    Chaos erupted in Indonesia on Wednesday as Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, blasted lava and ash into the sky.

    The first eruption struck at 1:35am local time, sending ash and lava six miles high, followed less than nine hours later by a second blast that produced a towering mushroom-shaped cloud nearly five miles tall.

    Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is one of more than 450 volcanoes along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a 25,000-mile horseshoe-shaped zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity encircling the Pacific Ocean.

    Officials raised the volcano’s alert level to the highest late Tuesday after detecting deep quakes that often precede explosive eruptions. 

    Geological Agency boss Muhammad Wafid said there had been a ‘significant rise in the volcano’s activities.’ 

    ‘People living near the volcano should be aware of the potential volcanic mudflow if heavy rain occurs,’ he added.

    Residents within about four miles of the volcano have been urged to evacuate, Avelina Manggota Hallan of the local disaster mitigation agency said.  

    Flights in the region have been suspended as authorities monitor the ash plume for further disruption.

    This is a developing story… More updates to come. 

    Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki has erupted twice since early Wednesday morning, forcing evacuations in nearby villages

    Operations at Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport (MOF) in Maumere, about 37 miles west of the volcano, are suspended until at least October 16, impacting domestic flights in the region. 

    As of now, no closures or widespread flight delays have been reported at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) or Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS). 

    The ash from Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki’s eruption has not yet drifted significantly toward these major hubs, more than 620 miles away, leaving the airspace open.

    However, airlines are closely monitoring the situation, as an eastward shift of the ash could still disrupt flights to and from Bali or Jakarta. 

    The volcano’s previous eruption, in July, caused 24 Bali cancellations when ash spread farther, so situations can evolve quickly.   

    Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, standing at 5,197 feet, forms part of the Lewotobi twin volcanoes, alongside Lewotobi Perempuan. 

    The volcano is situated within the Sunda Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’ known for its frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

    Geographically, the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire stretches from Russia and Japan in the west to the western coast of the US, and down to Antarctica, where it includes Mount Erebus, the southernmost active volcano on Earth.

    The  first eruption struck at 1:35am local time, sending ash and lava six miles high, followed less than nine hours later by a second blast (pictured)  that produced a towering mushroom-shaped cloud nearly five miles tall

    The  first eruption struck at 1:35am local time, sending ash and lava six miles high, followed less than nine hours later by a second blast (pictured)  that produced a towering mushroom-shaped cloud nearly five miles tall

    The region also features deep ocean trenches formed by tectonic subduction zones. 

    Because of this vast, interconnected system, a major eruption or earthquake in one part of the Ring of Fire can trigger alerts and concerns around the world.

    Historically, Lewotobi Laki-Laki has experienced regular eruptions, with significant events recorded in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

    Notably, a 1932 to 33 eruption involved lava dome formation and pyroclastic flows. 

    More recently, the volcano has been increasingly active, with eruptions in 2023, 2024, and 2025, leading to evacuations and flight disruptions. 

     

     

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  • Indonesia Flood Death Toll Climbs to 303 Amid Cyclone Devastation, Disaster Agency Says

    JAKARTA, Nov 29 (Reuters) – The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country’s disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174 dead.

    Large parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been stricken by cyclone-fuelled torrential rain for a week, with a rare tropical storm forming in the Malacca Strait.

    At least 279 people are still missing even as about 80,000 people have been evacuated and hundreds are still stranded in three provinces across Sumatra island, Indonesia’s westernmost area, head of the agency Suharyanto told journalists.

    Responders have used helicopters to deliver aid and for logistics in the northern part of the island, which was the hardest hit with roads cut off and communications infrastructure destroyed by landslides.

    “We are trying to open the route from North Tapanuli to Sibolga (in North Sumatra province), which is the most severely cut off for a third day,” he said.

    He added that rescue forces were trying to break through a road blockage caused by a landslide, and that people were trapped on a stretch of road and in need of supplies. The military presence will be enhanced on Sunday to help with relief efforts, he said. 

    There were attempts by those affected by the rain to ransack supplies in the Central Tapanuli area, which was badly affected, he further added.

    Across the Malacca Strait in Thailand, the death toll from floods in the southern part of the country has risen to 162, government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said on Saturday, up from the previous toll of 145. 

    (Reporting by Dewi Kurniawati in Jakarta; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Toby Chopra)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

    Photos You Should See – Nov. 2025

    Reuters

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  • Death toll from floods, landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island rises to 164

    The death toll from flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island rose to 164 on Friday, with 79 people missing, authorities said.Rescuers were hampered by damaged bridges and roads and a lack of heavy equipment.The death toll in North Sumatra province rose to 116, while 25 people died in Aceh. Rescuers also retrieved 23 bodies in West Sumatra, National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s Chief Suharyanto said.A tropical cyclone is expected to continue hitting the Southeast Asian nation for days, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency reported.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.Rescuers were hampered by damaged bridges and roads and a lack of heavy equipment Friday after flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island left 82 people dead and dozens missing.A tropical cyclone is expected to continue hitting the Southeast Asian nation for days, said Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency.Monsoon rains caused rivers to burst their banks in North Sumatra province Tuesday. The deluge tore through mountainside villages, swept away people and submerged more than 3,200 houses and buildings, the National Disaster Management Agency said. About 3,000 displaced families fled to government shelters.Elsewhere in the island’s provinces of Aceh and West Sumatra, thousands of houses were flooded, many up to their roofs, the agency said.The death toll in North Sumatra province rose to 55 as rescue teams struggled to reach affected areas in 12 cities and districts of North Sumatra province, said the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s spokesperson, Abdul Muhari. He revised the number of people still missing in the province to 41 from the initial report of 88 following a coordination meeting with local authorities Friday.Mudslides that covered much of the area, power blackouts and a lack of telecommunications were hampering the search efforts, said Ferry Wulantukan, spokesperson for North Sumatra regional police.In West Sumatra province, flash floods that struck 15 cities and districts left at least 21 people dead, Muhari said, citing data reported by West Sumatra’s vice governor. The number of people still missing was unclear.West Sumatra’s disaster mitigation agency reported that the flooding submerged more than 17,000 homes, forcing about 23,000 residents to flee to temporary shelters. Rice fields, livestock and public facilities were also destroyed, and bridges and roads cut off by floods and landslides isolated residents.In Aceh province, authorities struggled to bring excavators and other heavy equipment over washed-out roads after torrential rains sent mud and rocks crashing onto the hilly hamlets. At least six people have died and 11 were missing in three villages in Central Aceh district.The extreme weather was driven by Tropical Cyclone Senyar, which formed in the Strait of Malacca, said Achadi Subarkah Raharjo at Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency.He warned that unstable atmospheric conditions mean extreme weather could persist as long as the cyclone system remains active.“We have extended its extreme weather warning due to strong water vapor supply and shifting atmospheric dynamics,” Raharjo said.Senyar intensified rainfall, strong winds, and high waves in Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau and nearby areas before dissipating. Its prolonged downpours left steep, saturated terrains highly vulnerable to disasters, he said.Seasonal rains frequently cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains.____Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.

    PADANG, Indonesia —

    The death toll from flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island rose to 164 on Friday, with 79 people missing, authorities said.

    Rescuers were hampered by damaged bridges and roads and a lack of heavy equipment.

    The death toll in North Sumatra province rose to 116, while 25 people died in Aceh. Rescuers also retrieved 23 bodies in West Sumatra, National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s Chief Suharyanto said.

    A tropical cyclone is expected to continue hitting the Southeast Asian nation for days, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency reported.

    THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

    Rescuers were hampered by damaged bridges and roads and a lack of heavy equipment Friday after flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island left 82 people dead and dozens missing.

    A tropical cyclone is expected to continue hitting the Southeast Asian nation for days, said Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency.

    Monsoon rains caused rivers to burst their banks in North Sumatra province Tuesday. The deluge tore through mountainside villages, swept away people and submerged more than 3,200 houses and buildings, the National Disaster Management Agency said. About 3,000 displaced families fled to government shelters.

    Elsewhere in the island’s provinces of Aceh and West Sumatra, thousands of houses were flooded, many up to their roofs, the agency said.

    The death toll in North Sumatra province rose to 55 as rescue teams struggled to reach affected areas in 12 cities and districts of North Sumatra province, said the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s spokesperson, Abdul Muhari. He revised the number of people still missing in the province to 41 from the initial report of 88 following a coordination meeting with local authorities Friday.

    Mudslides that covered much of the area, power blackouts and a lack of telecommunications were hampering the search efforts, said Ferry Wulantukan, spokesperson for North Sumatra regional police.

    In West Sumatra province, flash floods that struck 15 cities and districts left at least 21 people dead, Muhari said, citing data reported by West Sumatra’s vice governor. The number of people still missing was unclear.

    West Sumatra’s disaster mitigation agency reported that the flooding submerged more than 17,000 homes, forcing about 23,000 residents to flee to temporary shelters. Rice fields, livestock and public facilities were also destroyed, and bridges and roads cut off by floods and landslides isolated residents.

    In Aceh province, authorities struggled to bring excavators and other heavy equipment over washed-out roads after torrential rains sent mud and rocks crashing onto the hilly hamlets. At least six people have died and 11 were missing in three villages in Central Aceh district.

    The extreme weather was driven by Tropical Cyclone Senyar, which formed in the Strait of Malacca, said Achadi Subarkah Raharjo at Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency.

    He warned that unstable atmospheric conditions mean extreme weather could persist as long as the cyclone system remains active.

    “We have extended its extreme weather warning due to strong water vapor supply and shifting atmospheric dynamics,” Raharjo said.

    Senyar intensified rainfall, strong winds, and high waves in Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau and nearby areas before dissipating. Its prolonged downpours left steep, saturated terrains highly vulnerable to disasters, he said.

    Seasonal rains frequently cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains.

    ____

    Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.


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  • Map shows how DC compares to world’s new largest city

    The U.S. capital is tiny compared to many of the world’s largest cities, a new report on urbanization around the globe shows.

    Tokyo has lost its status as the world’s largest city, with another sprawling Asian capital, the Indonesian metropolis of Jakarta, knocking it off the top spot, according to a report from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

    This milestone marks the first time in decades that the Japanese capital has not been the most populous center on Earth, highlighting rapid urban growth in Asia and a changing landscape of megacities worldwide.

    According to the U.N. report, nine of the 10 most populous cities in the world are in Asia.

    Jakarta, with 41.9 million residents, is the largest. Dhaka, Bangladesh, follows with almost 36.5 million people. The Japanese capital, Tokyo, has fallen from the top spot to third, with 33.4 million people. The Indian capital, New Delhi, is fourth with just over 30.2 million people. 

    Urban U.S. 

    For the U.S., these findings offer important insights into future urbanization trends, infrastructure challenges and global economic shifts.

    As the rate of population growth in Asian cities outpaces that in the U.S., cities in the United States and the rest of the Americas are falling down the ranking of the world’s largest.

    The figures are also a reminder of just how small Washington, D.C., is in comparison with Asian metropolises. 

    The U.N. measures population within an urbanized area, often beyond a city’s administrative limits. It puts the population of Washington, D.C., at 3.27 million.

    The U.S. Census Bureau, basing its calculation on a smaller city area excluding urban sprawl, says there are just over 702,000 people in the capital.

    The biggest U.S. city is New York with 13.9 million people in 2025, according to the U.N. data, making it the 22nd biggest city in the world—down from 15th place in 2000. 

    Los Angeles has a population of 12.7 million, according to the U.N. calculations, making it the world’s 27th largest city—down from 17th in 2000.

    Sao Paulo, Brazil, is the biggest city in the Americas with a population of 18.9 million in 2025, making it the world’s 13th biggest city—down from 10th in 2000, according to the U.N. data.

    Mexico City is the second-biggest city in the Americas with 17.7 million people in 2025, making it the world’s 15th biggest city—down from the 8th largest in 2000, according to the U.N. data. 

    Buenos Aires, Argentina, ranks third in the Americas for population and 21st in the world with 14.2 million people, one spot ahead of New York. Its position is down from 16th in 2000.

    Chicago is the U.S.’s third-biggest city with 2.723 million people, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2024. Then comes Houston (2.39 million), Phoenix (1.67 million), Philadelphia (1.57 million), San Antonio (1.52 million), San Diego (1.4 million), Dallas (1.32 million) and Jacksonville (1 million).

    The other mega cities in the world’s top 10, according to U.N. data, are China’s Shanghai (29.5 million) and Guangzhou (27.5 million); Cairo, Egypt’s capital and the only non-Asian city in the top 10, with 25.5 million; the Philippine capital, Manila (24.7 million); India’s Kolkata (22.5 million); and the South Korean capital, Seoul (22.4 million).

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  • Rescuers Step up Recovery Operations as Southeast Asia Flood Deaths Reach 129

    JAKARTA/BANGKOK (Reuters) -The death toll from floods across large swathes of Southeast Asia rose to at least 129 on Friday, with authorities in the region working to rescue stranded citizens, restore power and communications and coordinate recovery efforts as the waters began to recede.

    Large parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been stricken by cyclone-fuelled torrential rain for a week, with a rare tropical storm forming in the Malacca Strait.    

    On badly hit Sumatra in Indonesia, 72 people had been confirmed dead by Friday morning, said Abdul Muhari, spokesman for Indonesia’s national disaster mitigation agency.

    Communications remained down in some parts of the island, and authorities were working to restore power and clear roads that have been blocked by landslide debris, he said. 

    Indonesia will continue to airlift aid and rescue personnel into stricken areas on Friday, he added.

    Thai authorities said the bodies of at least 55 people killed by floods were found in the southern province of Songkhla.

    In the city of Hat Yai in Songkhla, the rain had finally stopped on Friday, but residents were still ankle-deep in flood waters and many remained without electricity as they assessed the damage done to their property over the last week. One said he had “lost everything”. 

    In Malaysia, where two people have been confirmed dead, tropical storm Senyar made landfall at around midnight and has since weakened. Meteorological authorities are still bracing themselves for heavy rain and winds, and warned that rough seas could pose risks for small boats. 

    A total of 30,000 evacuees remain in shelters, down from more than 34,000 on Thursday.   

    Malaysia’s foreign ministry said on Friday that it had already evacuated 1,459 Malaysian nationals stranded in more than 25 flood-hit hotels in neighbouring Thailand, adding that it would work to rescue the remaining 300 still caught up in flood zones.  

    (Reporting by Stanley Wisianto in Jakarta, Danial Azhar in Kuala Lumpur, Panarat Thepgumpanat in Bangkok; Writing by David Stanway; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Hong Kong Nears End of Search and Rescue Mission as Tower Fire Toll Rises to 94

    By Farah Master and Anne Marie Roantree

    HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations after the city’s worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex on Friday, killing at least 94 people and leaving scores more missing.

    Soon after dawn on Friday, firefighters had mostly contained the blaze that destroyed the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the northern district of Tai Po. The eight-tower estate housing more than 4,600 people had been undergoing renovations and was wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh. 

    Police said they had arrested three construction company officials on suspicion of manslaughter for using unsafe materials, including flammable foam boards blocking windows.

    Firefighters said they expect a search and rescue operation at the still-smoldering complex to be completed by 9 a.m. (0100 GMT).

    “We’ll endeavor to effect forcible entry to all the units of the seven buildings, so as to ensure there are no other possible casualties,” Deputy Fire Services Director Derek Chan told reporters early on Friday.

    As many as 279 people were listed as missing in the early hours of Thursday morning, but that figure has not been updated for more than 24 hours. Chan said 25 calls for help to the Fire Department remain unresolved, including three in recent hours which would be prioritised. 

    Rescuers battled intense heat, thick smoke and collapsing scaffolding and debris as they fought to reach residents feared trapped on the upper floors of the complex.

    A distraught woman carrying her daughter’s graduation photograph searched for her child outside a shelter, one of eight that authorities said are housing 900 residents.

    “She and her father are still not out yet,” said the 52-year-old, who gave only her surname, Ng, as she sobbed. “They didn’t have water to save our building.”

    Most of the victims were found in two towers in the complex, while firefighters found survivors in several buildings, Chan said, but gave no further details. 

    The confirmed death toll rose to 94 early on Friday, the Hospital Authority said. It is Hong Kong’s deadliest fire since 1948, when 176 people died in a warehouse blaze.

    Police arrested two directors and an engineering consultant of Prestige Construction, a firm that had been doing maintenance on the buildings for more than a year. 

    “We have reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties,” Police Superintendent Eileen Chung said on Thursday. Prestige did not answer repeated calls for comment.

    Police seized bidding documents, a list of employees, 14 computers and three mobile phones in a raid of the company’s office, the government added.

    The city’s development bureau has discussed gradually replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal scaffolding as a safety measure.

    Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, said the government would set up a HK$300 million ($39 million) fund to help residents while some of China’s biggest listed companies announced donations. 

    On the second night after the blaze, dozens of evacuees set up mattresses in a nearby mall, many saying official evacuation centres should be saved for those in greater need.

    People – from elderly residents to schoolchildren – wrapped themselves in duvets and huddled in tents outside a McDonald’s restaurant and convenience shops as volunteers handed out snacks and toiletries.

    Hong Kong, one of the world’s most densely populated cities, is scattered with high-rise housing complexes. Its sky-high property prices have long been a trigger for discontent and the tragedy could stoke resentment towards authorities despite efforts to tighten political and national security control. 

    The leadership of both the Hong Kong government and China’s Communist Party moved quickly to show they attached utmost importance to a tragedy seen as a potential test of Beijing’s grip on the semi-autonomous region.

    The fire has prompted comparisons to London’s Grenfell Tower inferno, which killed 72 people in 2017. That fire was blamed on firms fitting the exterior with flammable cladding, as well as failings by the government and the construction industry.

    (Reporting by Joyce Zhou, Tyrone Siu, Jessie Pang, Anne Marie Roantree, Clare Jim, Greg Torode, Farah Master and James Pomfret in Hong Kong; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Stephen Coates)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Thailand Eyes Drones to Boost Flood Relief Efforts; Deaths Climb in Indonesia

    By Cong Sun and Huey Mun Leong

    HAY YAI, Thailand/KUALA PERLIS, Malaysia (Reuters) -Rescuers in Thailand readied drones on Thursday to airdrop food parcels, as receding floodwaters in the south and neighbouring Malaysia brightened hopes for the evacuation of those stranded for days, while cyclone havoc in Indonesia killed 28.

    Severe floods after a week of heavy rain have killed at least 33 in Thailand and two in neighbouring Malaysia, with tens of thousands huddling in evacuation centres, some after being cut off for days by waters as much as 2 m (7 ft) high.

    “It’s a race against time,” Thai government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat told Nation TV, adding that rescue teams were preparing to use drones to deliver food parcels, relying on satellite internet in the face of telecoms outages. 

    “We have to help them out,” he added, saying authorities expected to rescue even more people on Thursday.

    The receding floodwaters are allowing disaster teams in Thailand and Malaysia to boost aid deliveries and efforts to move people out of waterlogged homes.

    The floods affected nearly 3 million in nine southern Thai provinces, authorities said, with 3,000 moved to safety from the worst-hit city of Hat Yai, including some critically ill airlifted on Wednesday from a partially swamped hospital.

    Thousands have been marooned on rooftops in the commercial hub by record rainfall, which stood at 335 mm (13 inches) on Friday, its highest in a single day for 300 years.

    Thailand pushed relief efforts into higher gear when the military drafted in at least 20 helicopters, planes and convoys of trucks to deliver food, medicine and small boats on Wednesday, and made a public appeal for boats and jet skis.  

    The country’s only aircraft carrier, Chakri Naruebet, is also providing air support, food and medicines. 

    TROPICAL CYCLONE DEVASTATES INDONESIAN PROVINCE

    In Indonesia’s province of North Sumatra, a tropical cyclone unleashed floods and landslides to kill at least 28, with 10 missing. Power outages and damaged bridges and homes hampered rescue efforts, the disaster agency said.

    Kompas TV showed images of earth sliding down a hillside to pile up in front of homes, while gushing waters higher than 1 m (3.5 ft) high swept along debris and the branches of trees.

    Meteorologists say current extremes of weather in Southeast Asia could stem from the interaction of two active systems, Typhoon Koto in the Philippines and the unusual formation of Cyclone Senyar in the Malacca Strait.

    Global warming can bring more frequent extreme events as higher sea surface temperatures supercharge tropical storms.

    The most recent floods follow a series of deadly typhoons and heavy monsoon rains that have lashed the Philippines and Vietnam and swelled floods elsewhere.  

    ‘THE WATER WAS LIKE THE OCEAN’

    In Malaysia, with floods in seven states, authorities said more than 34,000 people were evacuated, and about 500 nationals were still stranded in the Thai tourist destination of Hat Yai.

    Container lorries were used to bring home some Malaysians, the foreign minister told parliament on Thursday, as smaller vehicles were unable to traverse the floodwaters.

    In the smallest state of Perlis, Gon Qasim said rising waters trapped her in her home in the middle of a paddy field.

    “The water was like the ocean,” the 73-year-old evacuee said.

    Teams in Hat Yai worked into the dark on Wednesday, racing to reach the stranded after more boats arrived for the rescue effort, navigating the challenges of both strong currents and shallows.

    A tearful Kritchawat Sothiananthakul described the inexorable rise of waters in his home, as he waited with his dog to be rescued.  

    “We had to climb down from the roof, get into the boat,” said the 70-year-old, stroking the animal while sitting on a mat in a makeshift evacuation centre in a sports hall.

    “I needed to carry it and then get onto a truck.” 

    (Reporting by Cong Sun in Hat Yai, Thailand, Mandy Leong and Hasnoor Hussein in Kuala Perlis, Malaysia and Stanley Widianto in Jakarta; Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng in Bangkok and Danial Azhar and Rozanna Latiff in Kuala Lumpur; Writing by Martin Petty)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • The world has a new largest city

    Tokyo has lost its status as the world’s largest city, with another sprawling Asian metropolis, Indonesia’s vast capital, knocking it off the top spot. 

    Why It Matters

    This milestone marks the first time in decades that the Japanese capital has not been the most populous center on Earth, highlighting rapid urban growth in Asia and a changing landscape of megacities worldwide. 

    For the U.S., these findings offer important insights into future urbanization trends, infrastructure challenges, and global economic shifts.

    What To Know

    The United Nations’ World Urbanization Prospects 2025 report signals a significant change in global urban dynamics: Jakarta, Indonesia with 42 million residents, has overtaken Tokyo as the world’s most populous city. 

    Dhaka, Bangladesh, follows close behind with almost 40 million, while Tokyo’s population stands at 33 million, putting it in third place. 

    Cairo remains the only non-Asian city among the top 10. 

    According to the report, released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, urbanization has reshaped the global population landscape. 

    Cities now house 45 percent of the world’s 8.2 billion people, up from just 20 percent in 1950. 

    The study found a quadrupling in the number of megacities—urban areas with 10 million or more inhabitants—from eight in 1975 to 33 in 2025, with 19 of those in Asia.

    The report points to significant growth for cities like Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Hajipur (India), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), all projected to surpass the 10 million threshold by 2050, when the number of megacities worldwide is expected to reach 37.

    While megacities draw most of the attention, small and medium-sized cities—defined as those with under 1 million residents—continue to outnumber and outpace megacities in population and growth, especially in Africa and Asia. 

    Of the 12,000 cities analyzed, 96 percent have fewer than 1 million inhabitants.

    What People Are Saying

    United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua said: “Urbanization is a defining force of our time. When managed inclusively and strategically, it can unlock transformative pathways for climate action, economic growth, and social equity.” He added, “To achieve balanced territorial development, countries must adopt integrated national policies that align housing, land use, mobility, and public services across urban and rural areas.”

    What Happens Next

    Globally, the number of cities is projected to exceed 15,000 by 2050, with most having populations below 250,000. 

    While rural communities continue to shrink except in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, small and medium-sized cities are expected to drive the next wave of global urbanization, spurring both opportunities and challenges in infrastructure, housing, and climate adaptation.

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  • Thailand to Airlift Critical Patients as Southern Floods Kill 33

    By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng

    BANGKOK (Reuters) -Authorities in Thailand plan to send helicopters on Wednesday to evacuate critically-ill patients from a southern hospital marooned by some of the region’s worst floods in years, as the death toll rose to 33, with more rain expected.

    Floods have swept through nine Thai provinces and eight states in neighbouring Malaysia for a second successive year, prompting both countries to evacuate nearly 45,000 people.

    In Indonesia, eight to 13 people are estimated dead following floods and landslides this week, while one has died in Malaysia.

    In Thailand’s hardest-hit city of Hat Yai, a public health official said helicopters would deliver food and ferry out patients after the first floor of the main government hospital treating 600, some 50 of them in intensive care, was inundated.

    “Today, all intensive care patients will be transported out of Hat Yai Hospital,” the ministry official, Somrerk Chungsaman, told Reuters.

    About 20 helicopters and 200 boats drafted into the Hat Yai rescue effort have had difficulty reaching stranded people, government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters.

    BOATS CAN CARRY IN SUPPLIES WHEN WATERS RECEDE

    Patients, relatives and medical staff at the hospital number around 2,000 and boats should be able to carry in food as the waters recede, Somrerk said.

    On a single day last week Hat Yai received 335 mm (13 inches) of rain, for its highest such tally in 300 years. 

    Military helicopters were also carrying generators to the hospital, the Thai Navy said, posting photographs on social media of equipment being moved to a rooftop under dark grey skies.

    Floods across nine Thai provinces, including Songkhla, where Hat Yai is located, have affected more than 980,000 homes and over 2.7 million people, the interior ministry said.

    Thai weather officials forecast scattered thundershowers and heavy rains on Wednesday in several southern provinces, including Songkhla.    

    Convoys of aircraft and trucks were moving flat-bottomed boats and rubber dinghies towards Hat Yai, along with medical supplies and personnel, said the Thai military, which took charge of relief efforts on Tuesday.

    SOLE THAI AIRCRAFT CARRIER JOINS RESCUE

    Thailand’s only aircraft carrier, Chakri Naruebet, set out from its home port on Tuesday to provide air support, medical assistance and meals in the relief efforts, the navy said. 

    Rescuers pulled stranded families, including children and the elderly, from homes inundated by swirling brown waters, photographs posted by the Thai army showed.

    Many of the stranded took to websites and social media to seek help.

    “Please help. I’m very worried about my mother,” wrote one person, adding that she had been unable to contact the 53-year-old in Hat Yai since Saturday, when domestic supplies were down to just a bottle of water and two packs of instant noodles.

    (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng in Bangkok; Additional reporting by Stanley Widianto in Jakarta and Danial Azhar and Rozanna Latiff in Kuala Lumpur; Writing by Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • GoTo taps new CEO in step toward game-changing Grab takeover | Fortune

    GoTo Group appointed a new chief executive officer to replace Patrick Walujo, a move that’s expected to speed the takeover of Indonesia’s largest internet company by Grab Holdings Ltd.

    Chief operating officer Hans Patuwo will take the helm from Walujo, the company said Monday. His appointment—which requires shareholder approval—comes after GoTo co-founders and prominent investors including SoftBank Group Corp. pushed for Walujo’s ouster over a dismal stock performance.

    The change-up marks an about-face for GoTo, which in January said Walujo, 50, would run the company for years to come. The former investment banker helped usher the Indonesian ride-hailing and delivery giant to its first profit over a two-and-a-half-year tenure as CEO. But the company lost more than 40% of its value over the same period, and he also opposed a takeover by Singapore’s Grab.

    Shares of GoTo climbed as much as 6.3% in Jakarta Monday, giving the company a market value of about $5 billion. Grab, traded in New York, has a market capitalization of $20 billion.

    “The transition could signal a pivot towards operational focus and revive the long-stalled proposed Grab-GoTo merger,” Citigroup Inc. analysts Ferry Wong and Ryan Davis wrote. 

    Patuwo, 49, is now set to steer a company mired in a persistent funk, grappling with a global shift towards artificial intelligence and preparing to revive talks with Grab. The likelihood of a takeover—after years of on-and-off discussions—is increasing after Indonesia’s government said it’s talking to the two companies about a deal.

    The country’s sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, is set to get involved in a plan to combine the companies. The fund began exploring a minority stake in a combined entity early this year, people familiar with the matter said in June.

    Its involvement could smooth concerns that consumers will lose out in a marriage of the country’s two biggest ride-hailing providers. “Danantara’s possible minority stake in a potential combined entity would serve as both a symbolic and structural safeguard of national interest,” and would assuage monopoly concerns, the Citigroup analysts wrote.

    Patuwo joined the company more than seven years ago from an Indonesian conglomerate, according to his LinkedIn profile. He started at the ride-hailing arm Gojek, building relationships with drivers and merchants and expanding its network across the country. Patuwo then moved to head payments and financial services.

    Among other leadership changes, GoTo said it’s appointing co-founder Andre Soelistyo to the board of commissioners. In Indonesia, company commissioners typically function as a separate body from directors, serving as a sort of steering committee on matters including corporate governance.

    Soelistyo, who headed the company before he was replaced by Walujo, helped carry out the merger of Gojek and e-commerce firm Tokopedia that created Indonesia’s biggest internet company. Previously, he was an executive director at Northstar Group, Walujo’s former private equity firm.

    GoTo shareholders will vote on matters including the leadership shift in an extraordinary general meeting on Dec. 17.

    Olivia Poh, Bloomberg

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  • Indonesia Evacuates Stranded Climbers After Semeru Volcano Erupts

    JAKARTA (Reuters) -Indonesian authorities evacuated more than 900 people and were facilitating the safe return on Thursday of 170 climbers stranded after the eruption of its Semeru volcano, one of the country’s tallest mountains. 

    The alert level was maintained at its highest after Semeru on Java island erupted 10 times on Wednesday, emitting massive plumes of ash and sending lava and rocks as far as 13 km (8.08 miles) down its slopes, officials said. 

    The climbers were stuck overnight at a lakeside camping area at the foot of the volcano about 6.4 km from the crater but were now being helped to safety, said Septi Wardhani, an official at Semeru national park. 

    “All climbers with their guides are safe,” Wardhani told Reuters. “The situation is under control,”  

    Footage from Indonesia’s volcanology agency showed a huge cloud of hot ash billowing from the crater and blanketing the slopes of the volcano.

    Its last major eruption was in December 2021, when at least 51 people were killed and nearby villages were blanketed in ash.  

    The 3,676 m (2.28 mile) high Mount Semeru is one of about 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which straddles the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the earth’s crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanoes.

    East Java’s rescue agency deployed dozens of personnel to assist the evacuation, with 956 people living close to the volcano already moved to schools, mosques and government buildings, said agency official Prahista Dian.

    “We’ve also deployed personnel to search for whether there are still residents trapped or not,” he added.  

    (Reporting by Ananda Teresia)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Landslides in Indonesia’s Central Java Kill at Least 18; Dozens Missing

    JAKARTA (Reuters) -Rain-triggered landslides in two regions in Indonesia’s Central Java province last week have led to the deaths of at least 18 people, authorities said on Monday, with search operations ongoing.

    A landslide in the city of Cilacap last week buried a dozen houses in Cibeunying village, the disaster mitigation agency said. Search and rescue efforts were challenging as people were buried 3 to 8 metres (10 to 25 feet) deep, it said.

    The Cilacap landslide has killed at least 16 people, with 7 missing, said M Abdullah, chief of the search and rescue agency’s local division.

    Excavators were deployed to dig through dirt in Cilacap, footage from news channel KompasTV showed on Monday.

    Separately, two people died and 27 were missing after a landslide on Saturday in the region of Banjarnegara in Central Java, the disaster mitigation agency said on Monday. As many as 30 houses as well as farms were damaged, it said.

    The Southeast Asian country’s wet season started in September and is likely to last until April, bringing a high risk of extreme rainfall and flooding, the weather agency said.

    (Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Boeing Ordered to Pay More Than $28 Million to 737 MAX Crash Victim’s Family

    CHICAGO (Reuters) -A jury in federal court in Chicago ordered Boeing on Wednesday to pay more than $28 million to the family of a United Nations environmental worker who was killed in the 2019 crash of a 737 MAX jet in Ethiopia.

    The verdict awarded to the family of Shikha Garg is the first in the dozens of lawsuits filed in the wake of that crash and another in Indonesia in 2018, which combined killed 346 people.

    Under a deal between the parties struck on Wednesday morning, Garg’s family will receive $35.85 million – the full verdict amount plus 26% interest – and Boeing will not appeal, according to attorneys for the family.

    Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Shanin Specter and Elizabeth Crawford, who represented the family, said in a statement the verdict “provides public accountability for Boeing’s wrongful conduct.”

    Garg was 32 when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Nairobi, Kenya, crashed just a few minutes after takeoff, her lawyers said.

    The lawsuit alleged the 737 MAX plane was defectively designed and that Boeing failed to warn passengers and the public about its dangers.

    The Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed five months after Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea in Indonesia. An automated flight control system contributed to both crashes.

    The U.S. planemaker has settled more than 90% of the dozens of civil lawsuits related to the two accidents, paying out billions of dollars in compensation through lawsuits, a deferred prosecution agreement and other payments, the company previously told Reuters.

    On November 5, Boeing settled three lawsuits brought by the families of other victims who died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash, according to their attorney. The terms of those settlements were not released.

    (Reporting by Diana Novak Jones; Editing by Jamie Freed)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Explosions at high school mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia during Friday prayers wound dozens of students

    Jakarta, Indonesia — Multiple explosions shook a mosque at a high school during Friday prayers in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, injuring at least 54 people, mostly students, police said.

    Witnesses told local television stations that they heard at least two loud blasts around midday, just as the sermon had started at the mosque at SMA 27, a state high school within a navy compound in Jakarta’s northern Kelapa Gading neighborhood. Students and others ran out in panic as gray smoke filled the mosque.

    Most of the victims suffered minor to severe injuries from glass shards. The cause of the blasts was not immediately known but they came from near the mosque’s loudspeaker, according to Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri.

    Bomb squad officers stand guard at the entrance of a school in Jakarta, Indonesia, Nov. 7, 2025, after multiple explosions wounded dozens of people during Friday prayers.

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    People were rushed to nearby hospitals. Some were soon sent home but 20 students remain in hospital care, three of them with serious injuries, the police chief said.

    Suheri said an anti-bomb squad that was deployed at the scene found toy rifles and a toy gun near the mosque.

    “Police are still investigating the scene to determine the cause of the blasts,” Suheri said, and urged against speculation that the incident was an attack before police investigation is completed.

    “Let the authorities work first,” Suheri said. “We will convey whatever the results are to the public.”

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  • Explosion at Mosque in Indonesian Capital Injures 54 People, Police Say

    JAKARTA (Reuters) -Dozens of people were injured and hospitalised after an explosion occurred during Friday prayers at a mosque inside a school complex in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, police said. 

     Police were investigating the cause of explosion at the site in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, city police chief Asep Edi Suheri told a televised press conference.

    The number of people admitted to hospitals was 54, he said, adding the injuries ranged from minor to serious and included burns.  

    News channels KompasTV and MetroTV showed footage of a police line around the school with ambulances standing by. Images of the mosque showed no extensive damage.

    (Reporting by Jakarta bureau; Editing by David Stanway, Martin Petty)

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