Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Current Event 1

Indonesia Police Protect Mystical Tree
October 5, 2006

In Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, Indonesian police have cordoned off a Banyan tree after a Muslim youth group attacked the tree to challenge its believed mystical powers.

A news agency quotes Susi Marsitawati, of Jakarta’s park agency,” The city government tried hard not to cut the tree when we built a bus lane. It is more than 100 years old and it is important for the environment”.

In Jakarta there are rigors going around that the government was unable to cut the tree because of its powers.

The Muslim youth group leader said his members attacked the tree to challenge its mystical powers.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Current Event 2

Dozen of Endangered Orangutans are Forced to Flee Because of Forest Fires

Conservationists said, on Monday that many endangered orangutans have been driven from their shrinking jungle home in Borneo by fires that have covered parts of the region in a choking haze.

In Central and West Kalimantan, approximately 43 orangutans have been taken for medical treatment. Most of the orangutans which fled from the burning jungle into the plantation have been beaten by people. Also, some are being treated for burns and respiratory problems, said an emergency relief worker.

Heavy rains have put out some of the fires, but flames continue to cause problems in Kalimantan. It is forcing citizens to use their headlights during the daytime because of poor visibility.

Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia) says, the Indonesian government is doing everything it can, to those responsible for the fires. Even though the government has been blamed for failing to do so.

The World Conservation Union says, Indonesia has approximately 146 threatened species of mammals, which is the highest in the world.

Less than 60,000 orangutans remain in the wild in Indonesia. About 90% of the orang-utans habitats have been destroyed by illegal logging and cut-and-burn farming practices.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Current Event 3

An Accident or Not?

A terrible thing happened in West Sulawasi today. Seven people set off yesterday on a fishing trip. They were going for three weeks. They boarded yesterday on the “Blu Birde”. Everything was going as planned; they said their good byes’ and started on their journey. Today one of their members, Joe Smith, was found floating in the open sea by a passing boat. He was hanging onto his suitcase full of his possessions. Did Joe walk the plank? Are the others still alive or are they floating in the ocean too? Did the ship sink? These are all recent questions being asked. The only people who can answer these questions are the members themselves.

So far, Joe has not said anything to the public. I think he is still in shock from the incident. He is still in the hospital for hypothermia.

Right now the West Sulawesi rescue team is out on the water searching for the six others. Their names have not been released to the public as of yet.