Latest News
Fifty-four people injured in mosque blast at Jakarta high school
Dozens of people have been injured in an explosion during Friday prayers at a mosque inside a high school complex in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.
Fifty-four people were admitted to hospital, the city’s police chief Asep Edi Suheri told a news conference, with the injuries ranging from minor to serious and including burns.
The suspect is a 17-year-old student who is currently in surgery, officials told reporters.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police continues to investigate the suspect’s background and the possible motive behind the incident, which occurred at around 12:15 local time (05:15 GMT) in Kelapa Gading, a district in North Jakarta.
A bomb disposal team has been deployed to the state-run high school complex to collect evidence and ensure there are no other explosive devices.
Authorities said three people had suffered serious injuries and 17 others came away with minor injuries. Others have been treated and discharged, local media reports.
A pupil at the school alleged to Indonesia’s government-owned news agency Antara that a homemade bomb had been brought in by a student who had often been bullied by other students.
Other pupils told Indonesian news outlets that the suspect was a “loner” who often made drawings depicting violence, and who had been found lying on the ground following the explosion.
A cook at the school described seeing white smoke coming from the mosque and broken windows after the “massive” blast.
“Our hearts were beating fast, we couldn’t breathe,” she told the Reuters news agency.
A high-ranking Jakarta Metropolitan Police officer confirmed the presence of two objects resembling firearms at the scene.
Images from Antara suggest one of the objects appeared to be a submachine gun and another looked like a pistol.
The submachine gun-type object appears to be inscribed on its barrel with: “14 words. For Agartha.”
On its body, it says: “Brenton Tarrant. Welcome to Hell.”
Brenton Tarrant is the perpetrator of a 2019 mass shooting at a mosque and Islamic centre in Christchurch, New Zealand, that killed 51 and injured dozens of others.
A minister who visited the scene later on Friday sought to dispel suggestions that weapons were present at the site, telling CNN Indonesia what had been pictured “turned out to be a toy gun, not a real gun”.
Lodewijk Freidrich Paulus also called on the public not to presume the explosion was a “terrorist act” as investigators were still combing over the scene.
Another object found at the site was a dark green belt for storing gun cartridges.
Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population.
[BBC]
Ali Khan the USA fast bowler of Pakistan origin, has claimed in a caption to a story on Instagram that he has been “denied” an Indian visa. USA are scheduled to play India in Mumbai on February 7, the opening day of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Khan, who is currently in Colombo for a USA training camp, posted on Tuesday without giving any further details. ESPNcricinfo has approached the USA team manager for comment.
USA are yet to announce their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup but it is expected the final 15 will be chosen from the 18 that are at the camp in Sri Lanka. It is understood that the squad will be picked by the USA coaching group, while the team administration and logistics are being overseen by the ICC, which took charge following the suspension of USA Cricket late last year.
Khan, 35, is one of three USA players of Pakistan origin currently at the camp in Colombo; Ehsan Adil – who has played three Tests for Pakistan – and Mohammad Mohsin are the other two. The ICC has made no official comment on the situation but is understood to be trying to facilitate the matter and is confident it will be resolved.
A number of associate teams in the tournament – Oman, UAE and Italy – will be looking on with interest, given their squads are likely to include a number of players of Pakistan origin, or with Pakistani nationality.
ESPNcricinfo understands that England’s two squad members of Pakistan heritage, Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, are both still awaiting their visas. While the matter is expected to be resolved in time for the tournament, their situation is complicated by the need to apply in-person. Rehan is currently in Australia at the BBL, while Rashid is in Dubai.
Last September, the ICC had informed all participating teams that securing visas to India and Sri Lanka, the co-hosts of the T20 World Cup, would be the responsibility of the respective boards but it would facilitate paperwork if needed. In the case of USA, with the suspension of USAC, that responsibility would lie with the ICC.
Worsening diplomatic and political ties between India and Pakistan have made visas an complicated issue in recent years, even for players who are nationals of other countries. England’s Shoaib Bashir and Saqib Mahmood had faced delays in obtaining visas but were granted them eventually, as was the case with Australia’s Usman Khawaja. The visas for the Pakistan team were also delayed ahead of their travel to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup.
USA, who got a direct entry for the 2026 T20 World Cup after making the Super Eights stage in the 2024 tournament, are scheduled to play three of their four group A matches in India. Their first match is against defending champions India on the opening day (February 7) of the T20 World Cup in Mumbai, followed by Pakistan in Colombo (February 10) and then two matches in Chennai – against Netherlands (February 13) and Namibia (February 15).
[Cricinfo]
At least 28 people have been killed after a construction crane fell on top of a moving train carriage at around 09:00 local time (02:00 GMT)
According to official records, the train, which was carrying at least 195 people, had set off from Bangkok and was headed to Ubon Ratchathani province. After it had departed from Nong Nam Khun station in Nakhon Ratchasima province was about to reach the next station, it was struck by a falling construction crane.
The crane had been working on a high-speed rail project linking Thailand and China.
The impact caused one train carriage to derail and another to catch fire.
The disaster left at least 80 people injured, the youngest just one year old One survivor, a train staff member, recalled how he and the other passengers were thrown into the air after the crane fell on the vehicle
The governor of the State Railway of Thailand has been ordered to “thoroughly and comprehensively” investigate the cause of the accident
[BBC]
United States President Donald Trump says he has cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials and has told protesters to “take over your institutions” amid Tehran’s crackdown.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said that “help is on the way” without offering further details. Trump has openly contemplated ordering military attacks on Iran over the last several days.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump said on his website, Truth Social. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY. MIGA!!! [MAGA]”
Trump has threatened Iran with military strikes in the past as a means of pressuring Tehran into greater alignment with US demands, and has said during the last week that a harsh response by Iranian authorities to the country’s protesters could result in US attacks.
The US president announced on Monday that any country doing business with Iran would be subject to a 25 percent tariff. On Tuesday, the State Department issued an alert saying US citizens should “leave Iran now” amid the rising tensions.
[Aljazeera]
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
USA’s Ali Khan claims having been ‘denied’ India visa ahead of T20 World Cup
At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Business4 days agoDialog and UnionPay International Join Forces to Elevate Sri Lanka’s Digital Payment Landscape
-
News4 days agoSajith: Ashoka Chakra replaces Dharmachakra in Buddhism textbook
-
Features4 days agoThe Paradox of Trump Power: Contested Authoritarian at Home, Uncontested Bully Abroad
-
Features4 days agoSubject:Whatever happened to (my) three million dollars?
-
News4 days agoLevel I landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya extended
-
Business20 hours agoNew policy framework for stock market deposits seen as a boon for companies
-
News4 days ago65 withdrawn cases re-filed by Govt, PM tells Parliament
-
Opinion6 days agoThe minstrel monk and Rafiki, the old mandrill in The Lion King – II