Indonesia quake sends residents fleeing

Hello! I'm Kristin Volk on this Thursday, July 26, 2007 with a UPI headline update.

A powerful earthquake rocked eastern Indonesia this morning. The quake had a magnitude of 7 and sent resident fleeing from their homes. There are no immediate reports of damage. The quake triggered a tsunami warning but that was quickly lifted when no destructive waves were generated.

South Korea officials are scrambling to save 22 of the country's hostages held captive by Taliban kidnappers. Militants have already killed one of the hostages. A top South Korean envoy is headed to Afghanistan, but local authorities there say negotiations with the captors are difficult because their demands are unclear. The group of church volunteers was kidnapped on a bus trip through Ghazni province last week.

Meanwhile, 50 Taliban insurgents are dead following a 12-hour battle with NATO and Afghan forces. The attacks happened today in southern Afghanistan. Officials say there are no reports of major injuries to civilians, Afghan security or coalition forces. Since Sunday, the coalition says more than 160 insurgents have been killed.

Iraq's largest Sunni political group says it's boycotting the Iraqi government unless its political demands are met. The group is asking for a greater Sunni role in the Shiite-dominated security forces and the release of thousands of prisoners the group claims are being held unjustly. It's also asking for displaced families to return. The Sunnis are giving Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki a week to meet their requests before they leave.

Thanks for watching today's news headline. Check out wrap-up from the White House tomorrow upi.com. Have a great day.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Indonesia
• earthquake
• tsunami
• South
• Korea
• hostages
• Taliban
• insurgents
• dead
• Iraq
• Sunni
• Shiite
• prisoners
• female

[MillyVanillification]

earth is growing.

[ashleytisdalel0veR]

i am indo!

[EvanC0912]

japan is one of the most active too, keep that in mind

that's why there are quakes, at least 3 major plate meet in indonesian archipelago

[c2yzs]

Those series of Seismic activity in Indonesia is no doubt - WARNING signs from the "REAL" God above!  More to come !!!!!!

[uSteltzen]

7 magnitude...

[boyfriendable]

I always appreciate UPI news.