Breakfast Edition: 14 January 2016

SEVERAL BLASTS ROCKED THE INDONESIAN CAPITAL OF JAKARTA: Several blasts Thursday in central Jakarta were caused by a bomb, Indonesian police said. "This is a bomb," Anton Charliyan, national police spokesman told AFP. He warned people to stay away, saying police fear there could be more bombs. At least 6 people have been killed in multiple blasts while gunfire was also heard. Authorities have confirmed that at least 6 explosions took place but haven't been able to confirm who is responsible for the attacks.

EARTHQUAKE HITS JAPAN: Strong 6.7 magnitude quake hits off Japan's Hokkaido; no tsunami. A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, with Japanese authorities saying there was no danger of a tsunami. The quake hit at 12:25 pm (0325 GMT) off the southern coast of the island, at a location about 750 kilometres (470 miles) north of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The quake was measured at a depth of 50 kilometres, it said. No damage or injuries were reported though heavy shaking was captured on camera footage shown on public broadcaster NHK.

POACHERS KILLED IN KNP: Two armed men - believed to be suspected poachers, were killed in the Kruger National Park during a shoot-out with game rangers. The SA National Parks' Reynold Thakuli says the men refused to surrender, after being spotted from a chopper.   

MUNICIPAL ELECTION TO BE LAUNCHED: The Independent Electoral Commission will this morning launch the 2016 Municipal Election in Midrand. Political analyst Moeletsi Mbeki says despite issues like racism hitting the headlines, poverty and unemployment will still be the main battleground in the run-up to the polls. Mbeki says this will remain the case, as long as people live in shacks. 

EBOLA OUTBREAK TO BE DECLARED OVER: The two-year Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people across West Africa and triggered a global health scare is to be declared over on Thursday, with Liberia the last country expecting the all-clear. The worst outbreak of the tropical virus in history has wrecked the economies and health systems of the three worst-hit nations since it emerged in southern Guinea in December 2013. The World Health Organization said Thursday's announcement in Geneva would "mark 42 days since the last Ebola cases in Liberia were tested negative." 

LOTTO WINNER WALKS AWAY WITH $1.6 BILLION: At least one winning ticket for the $1.6 billion Powerball lottery was sold in California, with more winners possible in other US states, officials said late Wednesday. Officials said the winning numbers -- 8, 27, 34, 4 and 19, with a Powerball number 10 -- were the lucky combination in the world-record draw. Meanwhile a British couple - who won more than £33 million - held a press conference.

CROC BITES OFF WOMAN'S HAND: A crocodile bit off a woman's hand in an attack at a creek in a small north western Australian town, sparking a hunt to trap and kill the animal. The 60-year-old woman was walking along a creek when the he crocodile lunged out of the water. Meanwhile a video of Thai-woman - who got bitten by a snake after trying to kiss it - has gone viral. Please note that the video is not for sensitive viewers.

FINANCIAL INDICATORS:

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