VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

PHOTO : JAKARTAPOST

The Philippines will re-impose a stricter coronavirus lockdown in and around the capital for two weeks from Tuesday (Aug 4) as the country struggles to contain infections that have jumped to more than 100,000 cases. President Rodrigo Duterte has approved placing Metro Manila and nearby provinces such as Laguna, Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan under so-called "Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine" (MECQ) until Aug. 18. Some businesses and public transport are expected to be closed in the capital, which is currently under the less restrictive General Community Quarantine classification. Work and quarantine passes will also be required, as authorities seek to restrict movements. Duterte's move came after 80 local groups representing 80,000 doctors and a million nurses called for tighter controls, saying the country was losing the fight against the coronavirus//JP

PHOTO : BBC

The Australian state of Victoria has declared a state of disaster and imposed new lockdown measures after a surge in coronavirus infections. Under the new rules, which came into effect on Sunday at 18:00 (08:00 GMT), residents of the state capital Melbourne are subject to a night-time curfew. There will be further restrictions on residents' ability to leave home. Premier Daniel Andrews said the new rules will remain in place until at least 13 September//bbc

PHOTO : JAKARTAPOST

Muslim pilgrims circled Islam's holiest site along socially distanced paths Sunday in the final ritual of the haj, the smallest in modern history as Saudi authorities sought to prevent a coronavirus outbreak. Only up to 10,000 Muslims took part in the haj, a far cry from the 2.5 million who took part in the five-day annual pilgrimage last year. Instead of gathering the pebbles themselves as in past years, they were handed them bagged and sterilized by haj authorities, to protect against the novel coronavirus. Pilgrims returned to the Grand Mosque in Mecca later Sunday to perform a final "tawaf", or circling of the Kaaba -a cubic structure towards which Muslims around the world pray//JP

PHOTO : DHAKATRIBUNE

The United Arab Emirates has begun start-up operations in the initial unit of its first nuclear power plant. This was stated by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) on Saturday. The Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi, a major oil producer, is being built by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). The plant was originally due to open in 2017 but start-up of its first reactor was repeatedly delayed. ENEC said its subsidiary Nawah Energy Company has successfully started up Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, located in the Al Dhafrah Region of Abu Dhabi. ENEC's chief executive Mohamed Ibrahim al-Hammadi said UAE is another step closer to achieving the goal of supplying up to a quarter of the nation's electricity needs and powering its future growth with safe, reliable, and emissions-free electricity//JP