VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

FILE PHOTO: Travelers wearing protective face masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reclaim their luggage at the airport in Denver, Colorado, U.S., November 24, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo - 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said late on Friday (Oct 15) that it will accept mixed-dose coronavirus vaccines from international travelers, a boost to travelers from Canada and other places.

The CDC said last week that it would accept any vaccine authorised for use by US regulators or the World Health Organization.

"While CDC has not recommended mixing types of vaccine in a primary series, we recognise that this is increasingly common in other countries so should be accepted for the interpretation of vaccine records," a CDC spokeswoman said.

The White House said Friday the new vaccine requirements for foreign nationals traveling to the United States will begin Nov 8 for visitors crossing at land borders as well as international air travelers.

Representative Brian Higgins, a New York Democrat representing a district along the Canadian border, had on Friday asked the CDC if it would accept the mixed vaccine doses noting "nearly four million Canadians, equivalent to 10 per cent of their fully vaccinated population, have received mixed doses of the available mRNA COVID-19 vaccines – this includes the AstraZeneca vaccine."

The CDC said the vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use, as well as those authorised by the WHO, will be accepted for entry into the United States, including the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The CDC said "individuals who have any combination of two doses of an FDA approved/authorised or WHO emergency use listed COVID-19 two-dose series are considered fully vaccinated."

The CDC plans to answer other questions and release a contact tracing order for international air visitors by Oct 25//CNA

Head of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Margo Yuwono. ANTARA/Sella Panduarsa Gareta - 

Indonesia's trade balance until September 2021 registered a surplus of $4.37 billion, with exports totaling $20.60 billion and imports at $16.23 billion, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

"Thus, Indonesia's trade balance experienced a 17-month surplus in a row," Head of BPS Margo Yuwono stated during a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Friday.

The biggest contributors to the surplus were the exports of mineral fuels, vegetable or animal oils and fats, as well as iron and steel. Meanwhile, the countries that contributed to the largest surplus were the United States, $1.5 billion; India, $718.6 million; and the Philippines, $713.9 million, he noted.

The largest surplus commodities with the US were clothing and accessories; India, mineral fuels and vegetable or animal oils and fats; and the Philippines, mineral fuels and vehicles along with its parts, Yuwono explained.

However, Indonesia's trade also experienced a deficit with several countries, the largest being with Australia, $529.7 million; Thailand, $346.8 million; and Ukraine, $247.2.

The deficit with Australia was attributed to the imports of mineral fuels and metal ore, silver, and ash, according to Yuwono. The deficit with Thailand was due to imports of plastic commodities and goods, machinery, mechanical equipment and its parts. The deficit with Ukraine was owing to the imports of cereals, iron and steel, he noted.

Hence, Indonesia's trade balance during the January-September 2021 period recorded a $25.07-billion surplus, much higher than the previous years, the head of BPS stated.

During the same period in 2020, Indonesia's trade balance surplus had only reached $13.35 billion, while in 2019, it even experienced a deficit//ANT

Aceh Regional Secretary Taqwallah (standing left) receives the PON flag from KONI chairman Marciano Norman (second left) at the closing of PON Papua at Lukas Enembe Stadium, Kampung Harapan Sports Complex, Sentani Timur, Jayapura district, Papua, on Friday (October 15, 2021). (ANTARA PHOTO/Nova Wahyudi/aww/KT) - 

Papua officially handed over the PON baton to Aceh and North Sumatra, who will host the largest sporting event in the country in 2024.

At Lukas Enembe Stadium, Jayapura district on Friday night, the patriotic song Bagimu Negeri was played as the PON flag was lowered, marking the end of PON Papua.

Then, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe and daily chairman of Papua PON management, Yunus Wonda, returned the PON flag to the Central National Sports Committee (KONI) chairman Marciano Norman.

In turn, Norman handed over the PON flag to representatives of Aceh and North Sumatra, who will host the 2024 PON.

Norman first handed over the PON flag to the regional secretary of Aceh Taqwallah, who represented the Governor of Aceh, Ir. H. Nova Iriansyah.

Next, he gave the PON host baton to the Governor of North Sumatra, Edy Rahmayadi.

After the PON flag handover, Aceh artistes performed the Ratoh Duek dance, while North Sumatra artistes performed the traditional dances of Nias, Karo, and Toba.

In 2024, for the first time, PON will be held in two provinces, as stipulated in the decree of the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs No. 71 of 2020 concerning the determination of the Aceh provincial government and the Government of North Sumatra as the hosts of the XXI PON National Sports Week in 2024.

At this year's PON at Papua, the West Java contingent retained its general champion title by collecting 133 gold, 105 silver, and 115 bronze medals.

The Jakarta contingent ranked second with 110 golds, 91 silvers, and 100 bronzes. Meanwhile, the East Java team came third with 110 golds, 89 silvers, and 88 bronzes.

Furthermore, Papua, the home team, collected 93 gold medals, 66 silver medals, and 102 bronze medals to rank fourth.

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin also attended the closing ceremony of PON Papua, a 7 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Standard Time on Friday//ANT

An aerial photo of the seventeenth turn of the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit at the sunset on Friday (October 14, 2021). (ANTARA PHOTO/Ahmad Subaidi/rwa/uyu) - 

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, has said that the economic potential from the 2021 Mandalika World Superbike (WSBK) event could reach Rp500 billion.

"Thus, the multiplier effect is Rp500 billion per event," he projected in a statement released here on Friday.

Earlier, he visited the Mandalika circuit, Central Lombok district, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province on Thursday.

On the occasion, he tested the 4.3-kilometers (km) circuit in a Buggy Car.

The Mandalika circuit has 17 turns and offers beautiful views of the green hills and blue sea.

The circuit was built with the latest paving technology -- Stone Mastic Asphalt – to ensure racers’ safety while driving at a speed of 330 km per hour on the circuit, the minister noted.

"The circuit is amazing and the scenery is mesmerizing. In addition, traffic management has been prepared. The 2021 Mandalika WSBK is expected to be watched by 25 thousand spectators," he said.

Furthermore, he expressed the hope that the implementation of WSBK on November 19-21, 2021 and MotoGP in 2022 would help make Mandalika a Tourism Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

“In decades, there has not been any Tourism SEZ that is as fully integrated as Mandalika. It can be a leading alternative tourism destination as it is equipped with a port that manages to accommodate 7 million people, both domestic and foreign," he noted.

Meanwhile, director of the Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Abdulbar M Mansoer, said he expects the WSBK to draw 150 thousand spectators under normal conditions.

“The WSBK is expected to be able to revive our tourism sector. The event is estimated to absorb 7,545 workforces," he explained.

Furthermore, he said ITDC would open a digital marketplace in the future to sell official Superbike and MotoGP merchandise made by small and medium enterprises in the Lombok area, he added//ANT