VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Grain was flowing out of Ukraine at a record pace on Monday under an initiative led by the United Nations aimed at easing global food shortages despite Russia's decision to suspend its participation in the scheme.

Russia said on Saturday it was pulling out of the deal, which ensured safe passage of grain exports from three Ukrainian ports, after what it said was a major Ukrainian drone attack on its fleet in Crimea.

Other participants were pressing ahead with the deal despite Russia's withdrawal while France said it was working to boost Ukraine grain exports via land routes in conjunction with other European Union states.

Ukraine is one of the world's largest grain exporters and the conflict with Russia led to the closure of its seaports in February, driving up food prices and contributing to a steep rise in acute hunger across the globe.

The deal, signed on July 22, has helped ease the crisis with more than 9.5 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soy exported under the pact.

A record volume of 354,500 tonnes of agricultural products was carried on vessels leaving Ukrainian ports on Monday as part of the Black Sea grain deal, a spokesperson for Odesa's military administration said.

"Civilian cargo ships can never be a military target or held hostage. The food must flow," tweeted Amir Abdullah, the U.N. official who coordinates the programme.

Turkey, which helped broker the deal, remained committed to the deal which involves the inspection of cargoes at a Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul.

"Even if Russia behaves hesitantly because it didn't receive the same benefits, we will continue decisively our efforts to serve humanity," President Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech.

Russia said on Monday it would be risky for Ukraine to continue exporting.

"In conditions when Russia is talking about the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of shipping in these areas, such a deal is hardly feasible, and it takes on a different character - much more risky, dangerous and unguaranteed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

WHEAT PRICES CLIMB

Wheat prices rose on Monday, climbing around 6% to $8.78 a bushel in Chicago, but remained far below a peak of $13.63-1/2 set in early March shortly after the conflict began.

The strong pace of wheat exports from Russia, which harvested a record crop this summer, has helped to bolster supplies on the world market.

Consultancy Sovecon on Monday estimated that Russia would export 4.5 million tonnes of wheat in October, up from 2.8 million in the same month last year.

Corn prices rose more than 2% to $6.96 a bushel in Chicago on Monday while soybean oil rose about 1.6% to 72.96 cents per lb.

Ukraine is a major exporter of corn and there were concerns that shipments to the European Union could be disrupted.

"As far as Europe is concerned, corn is a bigger issue than wheat as we are getting into peak season for Ukrainian corn in November," said one grain trader said.

Analysts warned that although global agricultural commodity prices have come off record highs in recent months, local retail food prices remain high and could now face further upside.

"Typically, it takes about two months for higher grain prices to filter through the supply chain and impact consumers at the retail level," said a Sydney-based analyst.

"But food processors do not have much forward coverage, so it is likely to be a lot quicker."(Reuters)

The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry campaigned for an end to domestic violence, bullying, and child marriage through a fun walk event organized in the Car Free Day area here on Sunday.



"Let us all fight violence against women and children," Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga said.



"Let us be brave in reporting violence and support women and children victims of violence so that they can rise and live a good life," she added.



The morning walk activity was one of the early steps for disseminating information on and campaigning for issues related to violence against women and children that have continued to occur in Indonesia, she informed.



The event also served as a continuation of the campaign activities undertaken several weeks ago. This is because Indonesia is currently considered to be in a state of emergency over violence.



In the 2021 National Women Life Experience Survey (SPHPN), 1 out of 4 women in the 15–64 age group reported experiencing violence, whether physical and/or sexual.



Meanwhile, the 2021 Children and Teenagers Life Experience National Survey (SNPHAR) also reported that 4 out of 10 girls and 3 out of 10 boys in the 13–17 age group had experienced violence throughout their life.



The 2021 BPS data pegged the prevalence of child marriage at 9.23 percent.




Meanwhile, according to the Women and Children Protection Online Information System (Simfoni PPA), in 2021, 73 percent of women faced violence and 48 percent of children experienced domestic violence.



"The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) also recorded 226 cases of physical and mental violence, including bullying, in 2022," Puspayoga informed in a written statement.


Through the campaign, she said she expects people to understand issues that encompass various types of violence and learn how to prevent them through the smallest of actions up to reporting violence that they see or experience.


She also urged all parties to be brave in stepping forward to report cases of violence against women and children through the Women and Children Friendly (SAPA) call center number 129 and WhatsApp number 08111-129-129.



This is so that victims can receive assistance immediately and the cases can be handled further.

Security preparations for the G20 Summit as of the end of October had reached 75 percent, according to Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police (Polri)  Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo.

"Currently, the preparations had reached 75 percent. We expect it will have reached 90 percent on November 7, and by November 11, everything will be 100-percent ready," Prasetyo noted here on Monday.

G20 is an international forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union that work together to handle major issues. Indonesia is holding the presidency of the grouping this year.

The G20 Summit is scheduled to be held in Bali on November 15-16, 2022.



To secure the G20 Summit, Polri will deploy eight thousand joint personnel from the Polri Headquarters, Bali Regional Police, and other closest regional police, such as the West Java Regional Police, West Nusa Tenggara Regional Police, and East Java Regional Police.

He affirmed that Polri would conduct the Puri Agung Operation starting before the G20 Summit, from November 7 to 18.

During the security operation, personnel will be deployed in five clusters: Seminyak cluster, 297 personnel; Jimbaran cluster, 257 personnel; East Nusa Dua cluster, 187 personnel; and South Nusa Dua cluster, 213 personnel.

"Some 1,038 personnel are especially involved in those clusters," he said.

Meanwhile, for security at the airport, Ring I will include officers from the Presidential Security Guard (Paspampres), Ring II will comprise officers from the airbase, and Ring III will include officers from the Bali Regional Police and Regional Military Command.

"Some 340 personnel are involved for security at the airport," he said.

Prasetyo further explained that the 2022 Puri Agung Task Force will secure the summit with three rings. Ring I is officers from Paspampres, Ring II is joint officers from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Polri, and Ring III is officers from TNI supported by several officers from Polri.

In addition, 245 security officers will be deployed to secure hotels and the Garuda Wisnu Kencana area, 233 personnel will secure the mangrove forest areas, and 201 personnel will secure the Kura-Kura Island.

"Those areas become the focus of security for the 2022 Puri Agung Task Force," he remarked.

The government has continued to make efforts to improve human resources (HR) and develop vocational education in order to achieve inclusive and equitable development across Indonesia.

The efforts have been made in order to take advantage of the demographic bonus in Indonesia: the country currently has 70 percent of the population in the productive age group, with a workforce of 144 million people.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs  Airlangga Hartarto  in  a statement here on Monday, said well-prepared human resources had a great potential for accelerating national economic development.

"If prepared properly, Indonesia's workforce has great potential to accelerate national economic development so that the workforce is expected to prosper before they get old," he added.




Vocational education and training need to complement the industry, such as being connected to the labor market information system, the minister highlighted.

Further, vocational training is related to re-skilling and up-skilling for the future, especially in the changing world of work, he noted.

So life-long learning is necessary, he added.

To face various challenges, the Ministry of Manpower, as the coordinator of vocational training, needs to continue to work with elements from the central government, regional governments, and the Business and Industrial World (DUDI).

Hartarto said that he expects vocational training to play an important role in developing human resources in the future.

The effort is in line with the government's policy outlined in Presidential Regulation Number 68 of 2022 concerning the revitalization of vocational education and vocational training.



The government is also offering Super Tax Deduction incentives to companies that participate in vocational activities, such as granting apprenticeships, work practice, and deploying industrial teachers, among others, with the maximum tax deduction set at 200 percent of the total costs incurred by the Business and Industrial World (DUDI) for vocational activities.

The coordinating minister lauded the steps taken by the Ministry of Manpower, which has continued to encourage the improvement of the quality of human resources and labor productivity through the implementation of vocational training.

He also praised vocational training personnel, DUDI, and all other stakeholders who have played a role in developing vocational training in the country.