VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The CEO of PT MSP Aryo Djojohadikusumo (second from right) (Documentation of MSP) - 

PT Mitra Stania Prima (MSP), one of the tin exporters in Indonesia, has managed to penetrate Asian, European, and the United States (US) markets.

Last year, PT. Mitra Stania Prima (MSP) managed to record tin metal exports of 3,299 tons, according to a statement received here on Sunday.

The performance has met the 2020 export target set at 3,300 tons of tin metal by the Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM)  office of Bangka Belitung.

PT MSP CEO Aryo Djojohadikusumo explained that the trade was carried out through the Indonesian tin exchange, the Jakarta Future Exchange, to a number of countries in Europe.

"PT MSP managed to export tin metal to the United States, countries in Europe and Asia," Aryo Djojohadikusumo said in a statement.

He said that the MSP renewed their trademark registration on the London Metal Exchange to support the company's performance.

"I expect that the process can be completed this year as all necessary administrative requirements are met by the company," he stated.

Since June 8, 2017, he continued, the MSP brand on the London Metal Exchange has registered.

In addition, he revealed that the MSP had successfully obtained the certification of Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP).

A non-profit organization, Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), issued the certification.

"The company's compliance with the initiative of responsible minerals assurance process (RMAP) received positive appreciation from tin metal consumer Nike Inc.," he said.

Aryo Djojohadikusumo stated that Nike sent an email to express an appreciation to the company and all members of the RMAP program as Nike supports the transparency and standards applied by the mining industry.

Tesla, which is also a member of the RBA, he continued, only uses mining industry products from businesses certified by RMAP//ANT

Day-to-day chief of the Papua Provincial COVID-19 Response Task Force  Welliam R. Manderi (ANTARA/Hendrina Dian Kandipi) - 

The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and the Health Ministry are set to provide 50 oxygen concentrators to Papua province to address a recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

The 50 oxygen concentrators are expected to enable hospitals in the province to produce oxygen themselves, day-to-day chief of the Papua Provincial COVID-19 Response Task Force Welliam R. Manderi said on Sunday.

" As a follow up to the assistance of 50 oxygen concentrators, local health authorities will look at oxygen needs in each district and city," Manderi said.

He said his side has also set up a task force which will be responsible for oxygen needs.

"To handle COVID-19 cases this year (the local government) has set aside Rp150 billion in budget fund for priority activities," he added. 

The budget will be used to procure oxygen concentrators, provide isolation centers, build a COVID-19 special hospital, buy medical equipment and handle the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Coronavirus infections have currently spread to 18 districts and cities in the province. 

Six of the affected areas are located in Papua's mountainous regions in the districts of Jayawijaya, Lanny Jaya, Tolikara, Pegunungan Bintang, Paniai, and Puncak Jaya, Papua COVID-19 Response Task Force spokesperson Silwanus Sumule informed recently.

Twelve other affected regions are Jayapura City and the districts of Jayapura, Merauke, Boven Digul, Asmat, Mappi, Mimika, Biak Numfor, Supiori, Kepulauan Yapen, Nabire, and Keerom, he said.

Amid the alarming trend in infections, the Papua administration has asked residents to brace for a month-long lockdown in August, 2021 after the micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM Mikro) end on July 25.

During the lockdown, all entry points to Papua would be closed to curb an exponential increase in COVID-19 infections in communities, spokesperson for the Papua governor, Muhammad Rifai Darus, said earlier//ANT

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD during a virtual dialog  ANTARA/HO-Humas Kemenko Polhukam - 

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD has called for religious leaders support to' expedite COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country.

"We need support and intermediary role of ulemas, Islamic boarding school caretakers and religious leaders. to speed up the vaccination of citizens," he said during a virtual get- together with Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, Islmaic boarding school caretakers, inter-religious mass organisation leaderships and regional government leadership communication forums (Forkopimda) across Central Java on Saturday.

Mahfud also appealed to the people of Central Java to work hand in hand to improve discipline in following health protocols. .

Strengthening collaboration based on common awareness is an effective step to contain the spread of COVID-19, he said.

"Don't let religious and social mass organizations work alone. Let us strengthen the collaboration (among them) ," he said in a press statement.

The public's non-adherence to health protocols is because of the lack of knowledge and the impact of hoax news. Therefore, cultural and persona approaches are needed, he said. .

"The point is that we will work together. I will follow up on inputs related to hoax news in social media. Let us work together," he said.

Indonesia is seeking to vaccinate 208,265,720 citizens to build herd immunity against the coronavirus under the nationwide vaccination drive, which was rolled out on January 13, 2021.

As many as 20,146,421 Indonesians have received their second COVID-19 vaccine dose as of 12 p.m. WIB (Western Indonesia Time) on Friday (July 30), according to the COVID-19 Response Task Force.

The number of fully vaccinated Indonesians rose by 477,199 compared to the day before, it informed.

Meanwhile, the number of Indonesians receiving their first COVID-19 vaccine jab increased by 516,051 to reach 45,805,993//ANT

A lone bird walks past the quiet Circular Quay train station during a lockdown to curb the spread of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Sydney, Australia, July 28, 2021. REUTERS/Loren Elliott - 

Australia's east coast states of New South Wales and Queensland faced an escalating battle against the COVID-19 Delta variant on Sunday (Aug 1), with millions under strict lockdown and authorities urging more testing and vaccinations to rein in the outbreaks.

Sydney and its surroundings, under a stay-at-home order for five weeks already, reported 239 new locally acquired cases of the highly infectious Delta strain, matching the record daily number in the current outbreak that was reported on Thursday.

The city's 5 million residents and those in neighbouring regional centres spanning 200km of coastline are to stay home until Aug 28 at least. 

The total number of cases in the outbreak, which began in mid-June, has reached 3,427.

"I think what is important to know is that there is no roadmap for the Delta variant," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.

"The challenge for us is getting as many people vaccinated in August as possible so by the time Aug 28 comes around, we have options as to how we can ease restrictions."

Australia's vaccination drive has been sluggish, with only 18 per cent of adults fully vaccinated so far. Brad Hazzard, NSW health minister, said that 70 per cent of the state's population could be fully vaccinated in about four months.

In neighbouring Queensland, there were nine new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, the biggest daily spike in almost a year. More than 3 million residents were put into a three-day snap lockdown on Saturday.

"It is vital (to get tested), anyone with any symptoms at all, it doesn't matter where you are, because I don't know where this virus is at the moment," Queensland's chief health officer Jeannette Young said.

Australia has managed to keep its epidemic largely under control with a total of just over 34,000 cases and 924 deaths. But the slow vaccination drive means that it could be months before the country's borders reopen//CNA