VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. As of Monday, a total of 8,838,081 people have been administered the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia, according to the government's COVID-19 task force.

Over the past 24 hours, 208,899 people have received their first shots, while 193,925 others have got their second dose of the vaccine, the task force revealed.

Since the Indonesian government kicked off its national COVID-19 vaccination program on January 13, 2021, the total number of second-dose recipients has reached 4,208,326.

Among those who have received their first and second shots are health workers, state officials, civil servants, frontline public workers, journalists, and merchants.

At the moment, the government has set a target of vaccinating 40,349,049 people.

Regarding Indonesia's infection and recovery rates, the COVID-19 task force disclosed that as of Monday, 1,381,677 patients have fully recovered from the viral infection.

Over the past 24 hours, the number of patients who have recovered from coronavirus has been recorded at 5,800, but there have been 3,712 new positive cases, the task force informed.

Since the government officially announced the country's first confirmed cases on March 2, 2020, 1,537,967 people in Indonesia have been infected with the coronavirus.

Of the total number, 41,815 patients have succumbed to COVID-19.

Indonesia has been striving to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since March last year.

To stem the spread of the disease, the government has rolled out a nationwide vaccination program since January 13 this year.

The Health Ministry estimates a time period of 15 months will be required to vaccinate about 70 percent of the country's total population under the national program.

"We need 15 months to accomplish it. The time-frame for conducting the vaccination is counted from January, 2021 to March, 2022," the Health Ministry's spokesperson for the vaccination program, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, stated recently.

During the period, the government is targeting to inoculate some 181.5 million people, including 1.3 million paramedics and 17.4 million public sector workers in 34 provinces, she informed.

Tarmizi noted that the first phase of the government's immunization program has been divided into two periods: January-April, 2021 and April, 2021-March, 2022.  (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Indonesia won two titles at the 3rd Dubai Para Badminton International 2021 held at the Shabab Al Ahli Dubai Club, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from March 30 to April 4 this year.

Leani Ratri Oktila emerged as a champion in the women's singles SL4 (standing/ lower limb impairment/severe) group in the competition.

In the tournament, which is a Tokyo Paralympic qualification, Leani Oktila recorded a perfect victory by defeating Faustine Noel (France), Sophie Van Den Broek (The Netherlands), Helle Sofie Sagory (Norway), and Salam Alkhateri (UAE), according to the official record of the World Badminton Federation ( BWF).

Oktila’s pairing with Khalimatus Sadiyah brought another title for Indonesia in the women's doubles SL3 (standing/lower limb impairment/minor) - SU5 (standing/upper limb impairment) group.

They prevailed over French athletes Lenaig Morin and Faustine Noel with a score of 21-15, 21-16.

However, Oktila failed to get a hat trick at the event. In the mixed doubles SL3-SL5, she and partner Hary Susanto lost to the French pair Lucas Mazur / Faustine Noel 12-21, 21-19, 19-21 in the final match.

Another Indonesian player, Dheva Anrimusthi, lost in the men's singles in the SU5 classification.

In the final match, he was defeated by Malaysian player Cheah Leik Hou, 21-14, 20-22, 18-21.

In the men's doubles, Suryo Nugroho and Fredy Setiawan, who competed in the SU5 classification, were defeated by the French pairing of Meril Loquette and Lucas Mazur, 19-21, 21-13, 19-21.

A total of 127 players from 29 countries, including the UAE, participated in the 3rd Dubai Para Badminton International 2021.

The tournament is the first badminton championship to be held after a year’s gap due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tokyo Paralympics are scheduled to be held from August 24 to September 5, 2021, or after the Tokyo Olympics.  (Antaranews)

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) instructed his staff to act promptly in handling the victims and impacts of flash floods and landslides that struck East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), killing at least 62 on Sunday.

"I have ordered the head of BNPB (National Disaster Mitigation Agency), head of Basarnas (National Search and Rescue Agency), minister of social affairs, minister of health, and minister of PUPR (Public Works and Public Housing), as well as commander of the TNI (Indonesian Defense Forces) and chief of the National Police to immediately evacuate disaster victims and handle the impact of disasters," the head of state, noted in a video message here on Monday.

On the occasion, President Jokowi expressed deep condolences over the loss of lives in the flash floods and landslides in the provinces of NTT and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

"I also understand the grief of our brothers and sisters bearing the brunt of the disasters," he stated.

The head of state urged the people to diligently abide by the instructions of officials at the disaster sites. The public is also urged to step up vigil against floods and landslides owing to the extreme rainfall.

"Always pay attention to early warnings from the BMKG (Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency) and local authorities," he stated.

Several villages in NTT and NTB were earlier hit by flash floods and landslides on Sunday (Apr 4) after unremitting torrential rains hit the areas.

In NTT, flash floods and landslides devastated Nelelamadike in Ile Boleng Sub-district, Waiwerang and Waiburak Village in East Adonara Sub-district, Oyang Barang and Pandai in Wotan Ulumado Sub-district, and Waiwadan and Duwanur in West Adonara Sub-district.

Meanwhile, in NTB, floods affected the districts of Bima and Dompu. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Vietnam’s National Assembly confirmed the nomination of Pham Minh Chinh, a career security official, as the Southeast Asian country’s next prime minister at an official ceremony on Monday.

Chinh, 62, was the sole nominee put forward by the ruling Communist Party for the post at a congress earlier this year. He won 96.25% of the vote at an official National Assembly vote on Monday.

He was formerly head of the Party’s powerful and influential Central Organisation Commission which has long reach across Party ranks.

He will replace former Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who was confirmed earlier on Monday as the country’s new president, a predominantly ceremonial role.

Chinh was previously party chief of the northern province of Quang Ninh and deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security, the country’s powerful internal security agency.

He will be the first Vietnamese prime minister not to have previously served as a deputy prime minister since the launch of Vietnam’s progressive “Doi Moi” reforms.

Vietnam has no paramount ruler and is officially led by four “pillars”: the powerful General Secretary of the Communist Party, a state president, a governing prime minister and the chair of the National Assembly, a largely rubber-stamp legislature.

The main candidates for each post had all been widely known in Hanoi’s political circles, but were officially declared top secret in December last year in order to discourage potentially critical debate.

The Party retains tight control of media and tolerates little criticism. (Reuters)