While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, March 4
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Police officers inspect body bags containing victims, after a blaze at a fuel storage depot in Jakarta, Indonesia.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
At least 17 dead after fire at Pertamina fuel storage station in Jakarta
At least 17 people were killed when a fire broke out on Friday at a fuel storage station operated by Indonesia’s state energy company Pertamina in the capital Jakarta, an official at the city’s main firefighting unit said.
The fire, which started after 8pm local time (9pm Singapore time), burned some houses and sent nearby residents in the densely populated areas into a panic, some of whom fled with their belongings, footage from broadcasters showed.
A Pertamina spokesman said late on Friday that the fire had been extinguished at about 10.30pm.
Two of the fatalities were children, while 50 people were injured including one child, according to Rahmat Kristanto, an official at the firefighting unit.
Biden, Scholz hold talks in US on Ukraine, China concerns
US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held talks on Friday focused largely on the war in Ukraine, China and other matters, amid signs of strains between the transatlantic partners.
Sitting next to Mr Scholz in the Oval Office, Mr Biden thanked the German leader for “profound” support on Ukraine and Mr Scholz said it was important to send the message that the support will continue “as long as it takes and as long as is necessary.”
Mr Biden hailed Mr Scholz’s decision to increase military spending and had worked in lockstep with the United States and other allies to support Ukraine.
WHO urges countries to come clean on Covid-19 origins intel
The WHO on Friday urged all countries to reveal what they know about the origins of Covid-19, following US claims of a Chinese lab leak and furious denials from Beijing.
FBI Director Christopher Wray told Fox News television on Tuesday that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation had now assessed the source of Covid-19 pandemic was “most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan”.
Chinese officials have angrily denied the claim, calling it a smear campaign against Beijing.
Holy oil for Charles’ coronation consecrated in Jerusalem
The sacred oil which will be used to anoint King Charles at his coronation in May has been consecrated in Jerusalem, reflecting the British monarch’s links to the Holy Land, Buckingham Palace said.
His Beatitude Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the city’s Anglican Archbishop Hosam Naoum consecrated the Chrism oil in The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the palace said.
The oil will be used to anoint Charles when he and his wife Camilla are crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6, in what is considered the most sacred part of the solemn ceremony.
One year on, Russia’s Rublev returns to anti-war theme in Dubai
One year on from famously penning an anti-war plea on a TV camera lens, Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev on Friday reiterated his call for peace, saying it is “crazy” to see “normal citizens suffering and dying” as the Ukraine conflict rages on.
After defeating Alexander Zverev for the first time in six meetings to reach a second consecutive Dubai final on Friday, the sixth-ranked Rublev paid tribute to the late Soviet rock star Viktor Tsoi by signing the camera lens again, this time with the message: “Tsoi is alive”.
“He was one artist from a past generation that had huge volume I think on USSR because his voice was really powerful,” said Rublev. “That was not an easy time. The lyrics that he was writing gave a lot of hope to the people at that time. I just wrote it because I feel that now, at this time, is happening similar things.”
