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The silent ceramic objects that survive from medieval Indian Ocean trade carry incredible stories of a time when South Asia had the upper hand over China...In the 830s CE, a ship tried to make a daring crossing. Navigating treacherous reefs and shoals, it was attempting to move from the South China Sea to the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. After a brief stop there, it intended to catch the monsoon winds to India. This attempt failed, and the ship’s contents — ranging from marvellously carved golden plates to glazed ceramics, from a diplomat’s ink-stone to a small toy dog...

At least 12 species of crabs, prawns and lobsters collected from the deep seas in West Java are new to science. Another 40 are new records for Indonesia. Here are some of these strange and fascinating finds. SINGAPORE: The expedition lasted two weeks. But it will take two years for the scientists to complete their studies of more than 12,000 specimens - some bizarre and new to science - hauled up from the bottom of the Sunda Strait and Indian Ocean. These Indonesian waters off West Java had been largely unexplored by marine biologists until now. That changed in March,...

An Indonesian pop band lost its bass player and road manager after a tsunami struck the beach where the band was performing Saturday night, according to reports. In a news release, the band named Seventeen confirmed the deaths of bassist M. Awal Purbani, also known as Bani, and road manager Oki Wijaya, the Jakarta Post reported. Four others associated with the band - guitarist Herman Sikumbang, drummer Andi Windu Darmawan, crew member Ujang, and Dylan Sahara, wife of vocalist Riefian Fajarsyah -- remained missing, according to the paper.

CARITA BEACH, Indonesia (AP) — The deadly tsunami struck in the dark, without warning. At least 222 people were killed as waves smashed into houses, hotels and other beachside buildings Saturday night along Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, in a disaster that followed an eruption and possible landslide on Anak Krakatau, one of the world’s most infamous volcanic islands. More than 800 others were injured and dozens were reported missing after the tsunami hit coastal areas along western Java and southern Sumatra islands at 9:27 p.m. Saturday amid a Christmas holiday weekend, the Disaster Management Agency said. The death toll could increase...

Far-reaching storm to deliver disruptive rain, mountain snow across western US into Christmas https://www.accuweather.com/en/weathe... 18 inches of snow fell Friday in WNC? Precipitation record 'almost certain' to fall? https://www.citizen-times.com/story/n... 'Confidence increasing' that snowstorm will slam Minnesota after next week https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-... Severe cold, record rain, December tornadoes: 2018 closes out a year of unpredictable weather https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/w... Sierra Nevada Snowpack On Track To Collapse 79%, New Study Warns https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-1... USDA Snowpack Map https://www.fs.fed.us/r5/webmaps/Sier... GFS Total Snowfall Model https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analy... Worldwide Volcano News and Updates: https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volc... Gunung Krakatau Meletus 423 Kali https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rV-E...

Hundreds of people have been killed and injured after a tsunami struck tourist beaches and coastal areas around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait on Saturday night. Officials said at least 222 people were dead and 843 injured after a volcanic eruption thought to have been caused by an underwater landslide sent waves surging towards the coastlines of Java and Sumatra islands. Indonesia’s disaster management agency said 28 people were still missing and warned the death toll could rise further as not all affected areas had been reached. The worst affected area was the Pandeglang region of Banten province in Java, which encompasses...

At least 20 people have been killed and 165 injured after a tsunami hit the coast around Indonesia's Sunda Strait, government officials say. The country's disaster management agency says two people are missing, and dozens of buildings were damaged. It says the possible cause of the tsunami were undersea landslides after the Krakatoa volcano erupted. The Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean. The deaths were reported in the Pandeglang, South Lampung and Serang regions. Officials warn that the death toll is likely to rise further. The disaster management agency...

'Krakatoa': The Wrath of the Earth By RICHARD ELLIS The cover of "Krakatoa" by Simon Winchester. When a volcano erupts, it can do terrible damage, as Vesuvius did in A.D. 79, burying the cities and inhabitants of Pompeii and Herculaneum. But as the tens of thousands of people now living on its slopes can attest, Vesuvius is still there, and so are most of the world's better-known volcanoes, such as Etna, Rainier, Kilauea, Paricutin and Fujiyama (yes, Fuji is a volcano; it last erupted in 1707). Even Mount St. Helens, the top of which blew off in 1980, is (mostly)...

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood...