VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Airport workers in Zone 1 wearing full personal protective equipment at Changi Airport Terminal 3, Jun 7, 2021. (Photo: Changi Airport Group) - 

Singapore reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Saturday (Jul 10). 

This is the first time that Singapore reported no new locally transmitted cases since Apr 25, when no COVID-19 cases were identified in the community or migrant workers' dormitories.  

Three of the imported cases were detected upon arrival in Singapore, while the other three developed the illness during stay-home notice or isolation.

This is the lowest overall number of total daily cases reported in Singapore since Jun 9 when four infections were identified.

MOH will provide an update on Saturday night about the COVID-19 situation in Singapore.

From Monday, up to five in a group will be allowed to dine out together. Social gatherings at the workplace can also resume – subject to the five-person limit – but working from home will remain as the default, said the Health Ministry on Jul 7.

As of Saturday, Singapore has reported a total of 62,684 COVID-19 cases//CNA

Sapporo Dome stadium will be hosting five Olympic football matches but without spectators. (Photo: AFP) - 

Japan's northern Hokkaido region has decided to ban spectators at the Olympic football matches hosted in the area, expanding unprecedented steps to hold the Games mostly behind closed doors due to the pandemic.

Local governor Naomichi Suzuki announced the move late on Friday (Jul 10) night, reversing a decision a day earlier by Olympic organisers to ban spectators from events in the greater Tokyo region but allow some fans at competitions held elsewhere.

The announcement came only a day after Tokyo 2020 and government officials said they would ban fans from events in the capital and surrounding areas, which will be under a virus emergency throughout the Games.

The pandemic-postponed Games will be the first to take place largely behind closed doors.A handful of competitions will take place outside the capital, including Sapporo, which will also host marathon and race walk events. Olympic and local officials have already asked the public not to come out to watch the races live.

Suzuki said he made the latest call about the football matches after assessing that anti-pandemic measures proposed by the organisers were insufficient and would not limit flows of people from Tokyo, which is seeing a rapidly increasing wave of infections.

Organisers had pushed to allow up to 50 per cent capacity audience or fewer than 10,000 people in Sapporo Dome.

Hokkaido itself has long struggled to control coronavirus infections. But it is planning to end its three-week quasi-state of emergency after this weekend.

"The decision was made to ease concerns and to secure safety and security for local residents as our primary focus. I ask for understanding," Suzuki said//CNA

Crude palm oil - CPO - 

The price of crude palm oil (CPO) per kilogram (kg) in Jambi for the July 9-15 period this year climbed by Rp860 to reach Rp9,742 per kg, as compared to Rp8,882 per kg a week earlier.

The price of palm kernel increased by Rp198 to reach Rp5,792, from Rp5,694 per kg, while the price of fresh fruit bunches rose by Rp119 to reach Rp1,741, from Rp1,622 per kg, spokesperson for the Jambi provincial fresh fruit bunch pricing committee Putri Rainun noted in a written statement released on Saturday.

The prices of CPO, palm kernel, and fresh fruit bunches continued to rise in the past few weeks, according to the decision and agreement reached by the CPO pricing team, palm oil farmers, palm oil plantation companies, and other relevant parties.Fresh fruit bunches are priced at Rp1,741 per kg for palms three years after planting, Rp1,848 per kg for palms four years after planting, Rp1,934 per kg for palms five years after planting, Rp2,015 per kg for palms six years after planting, and Rp12,066 per kg for palms seven years after planting.

Meanwhile, fresh fruit bunches cost Rp2,109 per kg for palms eight years after planting, Rp2,151 per kg for palms nine years after planting, Rp2,216 per kg for palms 10 to 20 years after planting, Rp2,147 per kg for palms 21 to 24 years after planting, and Rp2,046 per kg for palms over 25 years after planting.

The prices of CPO, fresh fruit bunches, and palm kernel are set on the basis of an agreement between the pricing committee, CPO producers, cooperatives, and palm oil growers, as well as aligns with regulations of the agriculture minister and the governor//ANT

Medical ventilator to help COVID-19 patient - 

The Indonesian government received one thousand ventilators donated by Australia to tackle the shortage of medical equipment amid a drastic spike in COVID-19 cases.

The ventilators from Australia arrived here on Friday night, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in a statement here on Saturday.

In addition to ventilators, Australia will send 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, antigen test kits, and other medical equipment in stages.

The Indonesian ministry expressed gratitude for the cooperation and assistance from Australia, which is a comprehensive strategic partner.

Apart from Australia, several other countries, including Singapore, the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Britain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, and China, have also offered support to Indonesia to deal with the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Earlier on Friday, medical equipment, comprising ventilators, oxygen cylinders, face masks, gloves, and personal protective equipment (PPEs), donated by the Government of Singapore, had arrived in Jakarta to support Indonesia in battling the second wave of COVID-19.

According to the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry’s written statement, the assistance provided is in the form of 200 ventilators, 256 empty 50-liter-capacity oxygen cylinders, face masks, gloves, PPEs, and headgear, among other things.

"The aid was sent by air, and some other assistance will be sent by sea," the ministry revealed.

In addition, the Indonesian government had purchased 10 thousand oxygen concentrators from Singapore, of which 30 had arrived along with other medical equipment donated by the neighboring country.

On Friday, Indonesia added 38,124 new COVID-19 cases within the last 24 hours, thereby bringing the tally to 2,455,912 cases, while the death toll reached 64,631//ANT