This is the front page of the Jakarta Post. Other pages (click here) are fine, but, the front e-page is down.

We know Indonesia is a probable candidate for violence. It was a matter of time before something was going to happen. The control of small arms into the country is very important.

This is odd. Tourists are alarmed. Jakarta is a massively large country and a challenge to secure. The Indonesian government may need some assistance.

Greater Jakarta: (click here) Tons of hyacinths wash up on Tidung Island

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 01/08/2016 3:39 PM

Tons of dead water hyacinths have washed up on Tidung Island in Thousand Islands, disturbing tourism on the island.

Sydney Morning Herald reports a precautionary clearing of the Opera House and Ferries were carried out for information on social media.

January 14, 2016
By Nick Ralston

The Sydney Opera House (click here) precinct was evacuated and the Manly ferry wharf searched on Thursday afternoon after information NSW Police received via social media. 

The forecourt of the Opera House was cleared about 2pm on Thursday with police erecting metal barriers.

Police said the operation was a precautionary measure.

They are still getting pummeled by severe storms. It could have something to do with the hyacinths. What are the upper winds doing to jet travel. Sustained winds will cause problems different than the occassional weather system.

January 14, 2016
Rachel Olding

One man was killed, (click here) multiple buildings destroyed and tens of thousands of homes were without power on Thursday evening after a violent thunderstorm tore through Sydney, leaving a path of destruction following a day of extreme heat.

The severe storm began just before 2pm, carrying destructive winds, with four major storm cells tracking across the city's west and southwest before passing through the eastern suburbs and out to sea....

Don't play around with this. If pilots are reporting difficult circumstances when aloft, the travel ambitions of the day may have to be reassessed. 

January 14, 2016

New Zealand ex-pat Cameron Bates (click here) said the blasts happened just 2km or 3km from his apartment block.

"I work from home, I'm on the 25th floor of an apartment tower 2km or 3km away from it, I didn't hear anything," he said.

"But I work in social media so it pretty quickly came to our attention that something was happening.

"A friend of mine has an office over-looking the scene of the attack and he was posting photos of what he was seeing, including the deceased. "

There was some indication the bodies may have been those of suicide bombers, he said....

There are strong winds across the southern island.