VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The National Sports Week or PON 2020, which will be held in Papua, will likely be postponed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin.

"It is very likely to be postponed if the coronavirus is still threatening Papua and Indonesia," said Ma'ruf through a video conference at his official home on Jalan Diponegoro, Central Jakarta, Thursday, March 26, 2020.

The country's easternmost province has been dealing with the virus since a few days ago as three Papuans tested positive for the disease or Covid-19. In response to the situation, Papuan provincial administration quickly took precautionary measures to anticipate the virus outbreak.

Among the efforts are limiting the time for public activities and access to the province both via air and sea points.

Ma'ruf claimed he could not ensure when PON 2020 will be held if it is finally delayed, asserting that the government was monitoring the situation before making a final decision.

The sports week was initially scheduled to last from October 20 until November 2, 2020.

"We are still observing the implementation of PON 2020. If the coronavirus remains a threat later, the event will eventually be postponed," Ma'ruf Amin said. (tempo.co)

(Reuters)

North Korea confirmed on Monday a series of missiles tests, claiming the test a day earlier of what state media said were super-large multiple rocket launchers had been a success. North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Sunday, the latest in a series of launches that South Korea has called "inappropriate" as the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.

KCNA news agency said the launch was aimed at examining the strategic and technical features of the "super-large multiple rocket launchers", which have been tested a number of times since last August usually overseen by leader Kim Jong Un.

KCNA, the official news agency, did not mention Kim's attendance at the latest test, which was led by governing party vice chairman Ri Pyong Chol and conducted at the Academy of National Defense Science.

"The operational deployment of the weapon system of super-large multiple rocket launchers is a crucial work of very great significance in realising the party's new strategic intention for national defence," Ri was quoted as saying during the test, without elaborating.

"The test-fire was conducted successfully," KCNA added.

It marked the fourth round of tests this month since North Korea staged military drills and resumed missile launches following a three-month break.

Talks between the United States and North Korea on denuclearisation have been largely stalled since the collapse of the summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi in February 2019. (Aljazeera)

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) raises humanitarian aid funds for handling the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia through payment methods based on Quick Response Code Indonesia Standard (QRIS)

PMI Secretary General Sudirman Said in Jakarta on Sunday said PMI had officially launched a special fundraiser for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

"Like previous Humanitarian Donations, PMI also uses Quick Response Code Indonesia Standard (QRIS) for fundraising. PMI uses the TID-03 code," he said.

Fundraising through QRIS-PMI is intended to facilitate the community in making donations to support the prevention and treatment of the spread of the COVID-19 that is being intensively carried out by PMI.

"For people who want to make donations through PMI to help us handle COVID-19, can directly donate to QRIS-PMI with the TID-03 code. This QRIS can be used now," he said.

Information about QRIS-PMI specifically for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 can be accessed on the website donasi.pmi.or.id and on PMI social media, namely twitter @ palangmerah, Instagram @ palangmerah_indonesia, and the Indonesian Red Cross facebook fanpage.

This community donation, said Sudirman, will greatly support PMI activities in the prevention and management of COVID-19, including through massive health promotion for clean and healthy behavior (PHBS) to the public and spraying disinfectants in public areas, such as houses of worship, schools, markets and public offices.

"The action that PMI took was to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 from becoming more widespread. These two actions are currently being intensified among the people," the Secretary General of PMI said.

Sudirman Said said that the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak must be conducted together. This has become a momentum for all citizens of the nation to help each other.

"This is the time for all of us to do something and help each other. Together, we are against COVID-19," Sudirman Said stated. (ANTARA)

Artillery blasts shook Libya’s 's capital Tripoli on Sunday as fighting raged and the nation confirmed five more cases of the coronavirus for a total of eight. The National Centre for Disease Control said the new cases were in the northwestern city of Misrata, held by the Government of National Accord (GNA), which is at war with the Libyan National Army (LNA) of eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar.

In chaos and without central authority since 2011, Western-backed uprising that overthrew strongman Muammar Gaddafi, Libya is poorly placed to withstand any pandemic. The United Nations has urged warring parties to stop fighting so the overstretched health system can prepare. Cycles of conflict have destroyed much of Libya's infrastructure, and a financial crisis has stopped salaries to many medics.

The current phase of warfare began last year when Haftar's LNA began an offensive to capture Tripoli, the seat of the UN-recognised GNA. The conflict escalated last week when pro-GNA fighters mounted assaults on several fronts with clashes, bombardment and air raids. Loud blasts could be heard in central Tripoli on Sunday from fighting in the south of the city, one of the fiercest front lines, witnesses said. (Al Jazeera)