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The DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan 

Governor Anies Baswedan stressed on the pivotal role of inter-institutional and inter-regional cross-sectoral and integral policies in ably battling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Indonesian capital city, Jakarta.

Furthermore, the governor highlighted that on the basis of data so far, a link could be drawn between positive cases in Jakarta and the adjoining areas that influence one another according to the laboratory test data since positive cases not only constitute DKI Jakarta residents but also those residing around Jakarta's buffer area. The DKI provincial government has expressed support owing to the close relations between Jakarta and the buffer areas with regard to the policy of Enforcement of Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) in Java and Bali, including Jakarta, on January 11-25, 2021.The DKI Jakarta provincial government issued Governor Regulation (Pergub) Number 3 of 2021 that mandates the tightening of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) from Monday (Jan 11) to January 25, 2021, in order to follow up on the central government’s directive to suppress cases of exposure to COVID-19.

The central government's directive is a policy announced by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, concurrently Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery, Airlangga Hartarto, on Wednesday that declares a tightening of activities in several cities of Java and Bali, including Jakarta.

"This decision is also driven by the COVID-19 situation in Jakarta in recent times that has tended to be worrisome. We are currently at the point of the highest active cases at around 17,383. Active cases are the number of people, who are currently positive for COVID-19 and have not been declared cured, both those treated in health facilities and in independent isolation," Baswedan remarked//ANT

Mount Merapi located in the Central Java and Yogyakarta border

Mount Merapi, located between Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces, on Saturday released a column of hot cloud rising 200 meters above the crater and reaching nearly 600 meters toward the upstream of Kali Krasak River. Eruption of the pyroclastic cloud occurred at 8:45 a.m. local time for a duration of 120 seconds and with a maximum amplitude of 45 mm, Hanik Humaida, head of the Center for Geological Disaster Research and Technology Development (BPPTKG), noted in a statement here on Saturday in Yogyakarta.

During the observation period from 6 to 12 a.m. local time, the BPPTKG also recorded seven lava avalanches, with a maximum glide distance of 500 meters toward the upstream of Kali Krasak.Based on visual observations, white smoke of moderate to thick intensity appeared, reaching 100 meters high above the crater’s peak. 

The BPPTKG maintains the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or Alert. The potential danger due to the eruption of Merapi is estimated to be within a maximum radius of five kilometers from the summit. Tourism, climbing, and mining activities in rivers, whose upstream are located on the slopes of Mount Merapi, are recommended to be put on hold//ANT

Search and rescue team to locate the missing airplane in Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta - Loveavia

The missing SJ 182 Sriwijaya Air plane reportedly carried 50 passengers and 12 cabin crew on its flight from Soekarno-Hatta Interntional Airport to Pontianak, West Kalimantan, according to Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi.

"The total number of passengers is 50, consisting of 40 adults, seven children and three babies, plus 12 crew members," Budi Sumadi said during a virtual press conference here on Saturday night.

The minister expressed his concern about the accident and asked for the public to pray for an untroubled search and rescue operation.

"We are concerned about the accident," he said.

The Minister of Transportation, in cooperation with Basarnas (National Search and Rescue Agency) and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), has deployed four ships in the waters off Laki Island and Lancang Island, Pulau Seribu District, Jakarta, believed to be the location of the plane crash.Just minutes after taking off, the Boeing 737-500 aircraft was reported missing, following its last contact with air traffic controller at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at around 2:40 p.m. local time, at a position 11 nautical miles north of the airport, Tangerang, Banten Province. The Indonesian Navy has deployed seven ships to look for the missing aircraft. The Indonesian Air Force has also made ready helicopters to join the search efforts//ANT

Lockdown-shy Sweden passes COVID-19 pandemic law - yahoo news

Sweden's parliament on Friday (Jan 8) passed a pandemic law giving the government new powers to curb the spread of COVID-19 in a country that has controversially relied on mostly non-coercive measures to fight the virus. Sweden has made headlines around the world by never imposing the type of lockdown seen elsewhere in Europe but it has started tightening measures in the face of a stronger than expected second wave over recent months.The new law, which comes into force on Sunday, will enable the government to close businesses, shopping malls or public transport.

"The government today has not made any decision to close down businesses, but is prepared to also make those decisions," Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told reporters at a news conference on Friday.

It will also be able to impose limits on the number of people allowed in specific public places, rather than general restrictions on public gatherings. Asked why the law was only put forward 10 months after the start of the epidemic, Health Minister Lena Hallengren said "it was not something we saw the need for in the spring".

Unlike many other countries, Sweden does not have legislation that allows the government to shut down society in peacetime, and even with the new law the government cannot order people to confine themselves to their homes. Health authorities have also insisted that battling the pandemic is "a marathon, not a sprint", and measures have to be sustainable for the long haul. Faced with a strong second wave, the country has already tightened preventative measures since November last year.

As cases multiplied, authorities urged people to limit social interactions to immediate family or a few friends. On Friday, the government announced that a ban on public gatherings of more than eight people, in force since November, would now extend to private gatherings in public places, such as parties or ceremonies, but they are still not binding for gatherings within the home. The government also announced new rules for sports halls, swimming pools, shopping centres and other shops.The country of 10.3 million people has been bit hit much harder than its Nordic neighbours and on Thursday reported a total of 489,471 cases of COVID-19 and 9,433 associated deaths//CNA