VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Australia is to set up an independent body to investigate military veteran suicides, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced.

The body, led by a permanent commissioner, will review more than 400 known cases of suicide since 2001.

The commissioner, who has not yet been named, will also explore and recommend ways to boost mental health within Australia's armed forces.

It comes after years of campaigning by bereaved family members.

"Those veterans and all serving men and women protect our community and our freedoms. It is our duty to do the same for them," Mr Morrison said in a statement.

"I believe what we have developed addresses the needs of those veterans, their families and our serving men and women," he added. "We will be permanently vigilant about their welfare."

The suicide rate for ex-servicemen is nearly 20% higher than the national average, while ex-servicewomen are twice as likely to take their own lives compared with other Australian women.

David Finney, a former naval petty officer, was among those who took their own lives last year. He was medically discharged in 2017 with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Since his death, his mother Julie-Ann has called for the creation of a Royal Commission - Australia's highest form of public inquiry - into veteran suicides, and her online petition has collected nearly 300,000 signatures.

She told Australian broadcaster ABC that she was happy to hear about the new commission, but said she did not want to take all the credit."This was not me, this was all of Australia backing this," she said. "We need to make absolutely sure that this works for veteran wellbeing."

The new body will have similar powers to a Royal Commission, including the ability to call witnesses, compel evidence and take action against people who do not cooperate with investigations.

It is will also be backed by AU$40m ($27m) of government funding, which may be increased if necessary.

The commissioner will be expected to deliver an interim report to Australia's parliament within 12 months, and further reports every subsequent year.

A Veteran Family Advocate will also be appointed to represent the views of veterans and their families, shape policy and advocate for changes to veteran services and benefits.

Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese told parliament on Wednesday that he supported the new inquiry, though he would have preferred a Royal Commission.

"We called for a royal commission last year," he said. "But we are not going to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. We will support what the Prime Minister has announced and we will be vigilant to make sure it is properly resourced."(BBC)

President Donald J. Trump was acquitted on both charges of his impeachment on Wednesday (5 February 2020). The first article of impeachment, as annotated by CNN, alleges that “President Trump solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 United States Presidential election. He did so through a scheme or course of conduct that included soliciting the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations that would benefit his re-election, harm the election prospects of a political opponent, and influence the 2020 United States Presidential election to his advantage”.

The second article, as annotated by CNN, alleges that in his conduct of the office of President of the United States—and in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed—Donald J. Trump has directed the unprecedented, categorical, and indiscriminate defiance of subpoenas issued by the House of Representatives pursuant to its “sole Power of Impeachment.

The results of the voting decision were read by Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts. “In this article of impeachment, 48 senators have pronounced Donald John Trump, President of the United States guilty as charged. 52 senators have pronounced him not guilty as charged. Two-thirds of the senators present not having pronounced him guilty, the Senate adjudges that the respondent, Donald John Trump, President of the United States is not guilty as charged in the first article of impeachment. The second article of impeachment. On this article of impeachment 47 senators have pronounced Donald John Trump, President of the United States guilty as charged. 53 senators have pronounced him not guilty as charged. Two-thirds of the senators present not having pronounced him guilty, the Senate adjudges that respondent Donald John Trump, President of the United States is not guilty as charged in the second article of impeachment.”

On 15 January 2020, the US House of Representatives voted 228-193 to send the two articles of impeachment to the Senate for a trial. At the Senate, a simple 2/3rd majority, that is, 67 votes were needed for the removal of Trump as President of the United States. However, both articles failed to garner the required support ensuring President Trump of an acquittal. Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, was the only Republican who voted to remove Mr. Trump from office. Trump is just the third U.S. president ever to be impeached by the House of Representatives. (VOI/SAYEE SHREE L.R/AHM)

Three of the 238 Indonesians recently airlifted from Wuhan, China's epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, are residents of Bulukumba District, South Sulawesi Province, South Sulawesi Governor HM Nurdin Abdullah has confirmed. "We have coordinated with the provincial health office. We are taking precautionary measures and are preparing for their return from Natuna District after they complete their 14-day coronavirus incubation period," he told journalists here Wednesday.

"The provincial administration should ensure that they are in good health after being quarantined in Natuna District, Riau Islands Province, so that they can be united with their families in Bulukumba," he said.

A special team whose members comprise those from the South Sulawesi provincial and Bulukumba district administrations has been prepared, Abdullah added.

The Indonesian Government had brought 238 Indonesians home. They were airlifted using a chartered aircraft and arrived in Batam city, Riau Islands Province, on Sunday, February 2. On the same day, they were all flown to Natuna and quarantined.

Before their departure, the health of these 238 Indonesian evacuees had been thoroughly examined by the Chinese authorities before being allowed to board the aircraft.

The Chinese health authorities confirmed that they were all in good health and could be airlifted, according to Indonesian Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto. There were seven other Indonesians who did not join the evacuation.

Four of the seven were offered the opportunity to join the emergency evacuation but refused because they felt more comfortable there, while three others failed the health examinations by Chinese authorities, Putranto said.

The novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan has seriously challenged mainland China as the death toll of this virus has risen to 479 and the number of reported confirmed 2019-nCoV cases in Hubei Province had reached 16,678 as of Tuesday.

Considering the rising mortality rate and the number of those infected inside and outside mainland China, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this 2019-nCoV as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

According to WHO's official website, as of February 3, 2020 there have been 23 countries which have been reported with confirmed 2019-nCoV cases. Among them are Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, USA, and the Philippines.

Indonesia and many other countries are working with the Chinese authorities to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan. The evacuation is part of the accountability of the governments of those countries to their respective citizens. (ANTARA)

Some 285 Indonesian citizens including students, aircraft crew and pick-up team members, returning from Wuhan, China, are in good health while undergoing observation on Natuna Island, Riau Islands Province, the Ministry of Health has said. "So far, their body temperature has not increased, they have no cough, cold, or shortness of breath which are symptoms of the coronavirus disease," Director General of Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health Anung Sugihantono said via a long distant video conference, here Wednesday.

Anung is currently at the observation post in Natuna to monitor the health of the Indonesian citizens who had been picked up by the government from Wuhan, Hubei Province, recently.

The 285 Indonesians comprise 238 Indonesian citizens, mostly students staying in Hubei Province, five officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 18 crew members of Batik Air flight, and 24 members of pickup team.

On the fourth day of the observation process, the government deployed seven psychologists, to join internists, lung specialists, cardiologists, and obstetrics.

Besides, some general practitioners and nurses are ready 24x7 to provide medical assistance.

On February 5, 2020, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto visited the quarantined Indonesians on Natuna Island. (ANTARA)