VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

FILE PHOTO: A shopper, wearing a protective face masks, looks at a poster for a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination centre installed inside a supermarket in Brussels, Belgium, August 30, 2021. REUTERS/Bart Biesemans - 

Belgium detected Europe's first confirmed case of the new variant of COVID-19 on Friday (Nov 26), and at the same time announced measures aimed at curbing a rapidly spreading fourth wave of coronavirus infections.

Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke told a news conference that a case of variant B.1.1.529 had been found in an unvaccinated person who had developed symptoms and tested positive on Nov. 22.

"It is a suspicious variant. We do not know if it is a very dangerous variant," he said.

The new coronavirus variant, first detected in South Africa, has caused global alarm, with the EU and Britain among those tightening border controls as researchers seek to find out if the mutation is vaccine-resistant.

Belgium's national reference laboratory said the infected person was a young adult woman who had developed symptoms 11 days after returning from a trip to Egypt via Turkey. She had flu-like symptoms, but no signs to date of severe disease.

None of her household members developed symptoms, but were being tested.

The new variant has emerged as Belgium and many other European countries are battling a surge in coronavirus infections.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced that nightclubs would close and bars and restaurants would have to shut by 11pm for three weeks from Saturday, and have a maximum six people per table.

The strain on the health service was mounting, De Croo told a news conference, adding,"If we did not have such a high rate of vaccination today, we would be in an absolutely drastic situation".

A previous package of coronavirus restrictions imposed a week ago included enforcing wider use of masks and more working from home.

Under the new rules, private parties and gatherings are also banned, unless they are for weddings or funerals, and Belgians will have to do shopping on their own.

The country's health ministers will meet on Saturday to discuss accelerating the roll-out of vaccine booster doses.

Belgium, home to European Union institutions and the headquarters of NATO, has the sixth-highest number of cases per capita rate in Europe, behind the likes of Austria and Slovakia that have re-entered lockdowns.

The fatality rate though is just below the EU average, with 75 per cent of the population vaccinated against COVID-19//CNA

Commuters walk at the Waterloo station during a tube strike, in London, Britain, on Nov 26, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Tom Nicholson) - 

Central London shops and businesses hoping to receive a much-needed boost from Black Friday (Nov 26) sales were hit by disruption to the tube network as drivers held their biggest strike since 2018.

The 24-hour strike, which started at 0430 GMT (12.30pm, Singapore time), led to the suspension of the Piccadilly, and Waterloo and City lines, and delays on the Jubilee, Central, Victoria and Northern lines.

Transport for London (TfL) said it was running 58 per cent of its usual services.

The walkout of 2,000 Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) members came after disagreements over TfL's plans to make tube drivers take on shifts at night.

The strikes targeted the five lines where TfL used to employ dedicated Night Tube drivers, with the Waterloo and City line also suspended as it shares many of its drivers with the Central line.

The Friday and Saturday Night Tube service was suspended during the pandemic. It was due to restart with a limited service on Saturday.

Joe Swaffham, 36, who commutes from North Greenwich to Moorgate to work for a maintenance firm, said his journey took twice as long and made him 45 minutes late for work.

"Commuters were being less forgiving when trying to get on trains and I got pushed two-throw down the platform – luckily the Jubilee line has a glass wall for safety," he said.

"But I think the train workers shouldn't have to be forced into hours they didn't sign up for," he added.

Shops in central London said the strike could hurt sales on Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

"The timing of the strike is particularly disappointing and is a real kick in the teeth for Central London's hospitality and retail sector,” said Ros Morgan, Chief Executive Heart of London Business Alliance, which represents 500 businesses in London's West End.

TfL said there were no plans to hold talks with RMT leaders. "We remain open to talking but there's no concrete plans so far," a spokesperson said//CNA

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. (Photo: AFP) - 

Brazilian health regulator Anvisa recommended on Friday (Nov 26) that travel be restricted from some African countries due to the detection of a new COVID-19 variant, but President Jair Bolsonaro appeared to dismiss such measures.

Anvisa said its recommendation, which would need government approval to be implemented, was to immediately suspend flights from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The EU and Britain are already tightening border controls as researchers look into whether the new mutation is vaccine-resistant.

Bolsonaro has been widely criticized by public health experts for his management of the pandemic, railing against lockdowns, often refusing to wear a mask in public and choosing not to get vaccinated. Brazil has the world's second-highest death toll from the virus, behind only the United States.

Before the Anvisa statement on Friday, Bolsonaro told supporters it made little sense to close borders.

"What madness is this?," Bolsonaro told supporters when asked if travel would be restricted. "The virus doesn't come in if you close the airport. It is already here."

The news of the variant hammered travel stocks in Brazil, with shares in airlines Gol and Azul plunging about 10 per cent, while travel operator CVC posted an 8per cent fall and planemaker Embraer was down 7 per cent.

In its technical note, Anvisa said that foreigners who have been to at least one of the six African countries cited in the prior 14 days should not be allowed to land in Brazil, while Brazilians arriving from those nations should be required to quarantine.

The health agency said "the new variant appears to have a higher transmissibility."//CNA

Hungarian Ambassador to Indonesia, Lilla Karsay (Left);Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno meeting at the Sapta Pesona Building, Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf Office, Friday (11/26/2021) - 

The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy/Head of the Tourism and Creative Economy Agency, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, held a meeting with the Hungarian Ambassador to Indonesia, Lilla Karsay, at the Sapta Pesona Building, Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf Office, Friday (11/26/2021). The presence of Lilla Karsay was an honorary visit and an introduction to the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy that she is currently serving as the new Ambassador of Hungary to Indonesia. Both agreed to strengthen cooperation in the tourism sector and the creative economy.

Menparekraf Sandiaga explained that Hungary is one of the countries that has strong creative economic potential. Among them have advanced film and startup industries. Sandiaga hopes that Indonesia can establish cooperation with Hungary in the film industry.

"Hungary has a Hungarian Film Festival, we can collaborate on this. We also hope for the best practice exchange of films and animation, so that later we can advance film in both countries," said Sandiaga.

Sandiaga asked Hungary to support the implementation of the G20 which will be held in 2022. In addition to the big event, it is hoped that there will be cooperation between the two countries in organizing various types of events.

"We are also preparing for several events, such as the Indonesia Wellness Festival. If there is an event that can be collaborated, let's collaborate," he said.

Accompanying Menparekraf, Director of Inter-Institutional Relations Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf, Iman Santosa; Tourism Marketing Director Regional II Kemenparekraf/Baperekraf, Raden Sigit Witjaksono.

Tourism Marketing Director for Regional II Kemenparekraf/Baperekraf, Raden Sigit Witjaksono, said that Hungary is one of the countries that are allowed to enter Bali. He hopes that this can be used to collaborate as much as possible.

"We have opened Bali, and Hungary is a country that can visit it, this has great potential for us to collaborate," said Sigit.

Meanwhile, the Hungarian Ambassador to Indonesia, Lilla Karsay, expressed his pleasure because Hungary was included in the 19 countries that could visit Bali.

"We are happy to be included in the 19 countries that are allowed to visit Bali," he said.

Furthermore, Hungary conveyed a lot of potential for cooperation that could be carried out between Indonesia and Hungary. Among them are _wellness tourism_, to education in the field of _tourism_.

"There is a complex strategy that will discuss how to increase tourists. We can share what has been done in the past years. There were 2 million tourists before the pandemic. Please note that we have more tourists than residents," he said.

Lilla hopes that this meeting will further strengthen the bilateral relations between Hungary and Indonesia that have existed before, for the progress of the two countries, especially in the tourism and creative economy sectors.

"We are ready to collaborate for the advancement of the tourism sector and the creative economy in Hungary and Indonesia," he said//VOI-NK