Indonesia - China Relation
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Wednesday that china would work with the association of southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which is chaired by Indonesia this year to hasten negotiations on a proposed nonaggression pact which is designed to avoid armed confrontations in the South China Sea.
Speaking during a news conference during his visit to Indonesia as the new foreign minister Gang said China is planning to accelerate consultations on a code of conduct in the South China Sea as a part of a plan to "Jointly maintain the peace and stability in the south china sea fully".
In the same occassion Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi echoed Gang's statements calling for a peaceful and stable sea.
The highly secretive talks between China and ASEAN's 10 member countries whose four of its members are locked in territorial disputes with Beijing over the strategic waterway have faced years of delay including during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
China and the regional bloc have agreed to speed up the negotiations this year but it's unclear how they can overcome key differences including which areas should be covered by the pact and whether the agreement should be legally binding,
Cyclone Freddy Hits Madagascar
A weakened cyclone freddy which pummeled Madagascar Tuesday night with heavy rains and strong destructive winds has killed four people and is continuing to wreak havoc in the southwest of The Indian Ocean Nation.
Freddy battered the western city of Mananjary and left 16.660 people displaced and damaged nearly 5,000 homes in the country according to the latest provisional assessment by Madagascar's risk and disaster management office.
The cyclone had waned slightly over land with the state's meteorological office measuring average winds of 50 kilometers per hour and reduced gusts of 70 kilometers per hour.
Red alerts issued for madagascar's east coast were lifted wednesday morning and the southwestern regions of the island have now been placed on "blue alert" indicating a phase of post-cyclone damage assessment rescue and recovery.
According to authorities 64 tons of relief food rations and provisions have been availed in the region to help the population.
freddy which is now classified as a "moderate tropical storm" is projected to leave malagasy islands wednesday evening for the mozambican channel where it is expected to regain strength as it barrels towards mainland africa with mozambique in its path.
President Jokowi Receives Letters of Credence from 11 New Ambassadors
Indonesian President Joko Widodo Monday accepted letter of credences from eleven new ambassadors to Indonesia at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
The eleven ambassadors are from Suriname, Switzerland, Libya, South Korea, Greece, Oman, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Syria and South Africa.
The handed over of the letter of crecedences mark the beggining of those ambassadors' duty in Indonesia to represent their countries interests and to develop bilateral relations with Indonesia.
President Widodo was accompanied by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung.
Tonight's Top Entertainment News
In our top entertainment news tonight:
'All quiet on the western front' wins 7 Baftas, including best film at Bafta Awards.
And Sean Penn remembers meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the day after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Indonesia's Law Enforcement
Indonesian police on Sunday said, they will escort back to italy an Italian-Australian fugitive who was arrested on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali after seven years on the run in connection with drug trafficking and organized crime.
Thirty Two years old Antonio Strangio appeared on Interpol's red notice list when he was stopped and detained in Bali on 3 February after arriving from Malaysia.
Bali Police cited safety reasons in refusing to say when Strangio would be deported to Italy but the suspect was shown to reporters during a news conference held at the airport and was seen being escorted to the departure hall.
Strangio is wanted in Italy to face charges of trafficking one hundred sixty kilogrammes of marijuana.
He is allegedly connected to the 'Ndrangheta a prominent Italian organized crime syndicate.
Documentary Explores Solo Endeavors of BTS' J-Hope
New documentary 'J-Hope In The Box' explores the solo endeavors of bts' J-Hope while the Berlinale opening ceremony includes a video message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And Bruce Willis has frontotemporal dementia.
Massive Fire Burns Plant Nursery in Florida
A massive fire has broken out at a plant nursery in central Florida, but so far no evacuations have been ordered for nearby homes or businesses.
Officials say the fire started about 2AM on Thursday, at nursery supplies in kissim-mee, just south of Orlando. The scene was full with flames and plumes of thick, black smoke rising in the air.
Osceola fire officials say nearly 2 acres of pallets holding plastic pots caught fire. While hazmat teams from Osceola county and nearby orange county are monitoring the air quality.
