VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

PHOTO : VOICEOFVIENNA

Dozens of protesters in Beirut have entered the foreign ministry during a wider demonstration over Tuesday's huge explosion that left at least 158 dead. Several thousand people are on the streets in a planned protest, but there has been violence as police fired tear gas at stone-throwing demonstrators. There are also reports of gunfire being heard from central Martyrs' Square. Many Lebanese are furious at the failure to prevent the explosion of thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate. The blast at the port devastated parts of the city and has reignited deep-seated anger with the government. The explosion was caused by a huge stock of ammonium nitrate that had been seized from a ship six years ago but never moved. The government has promised to find those responsible. The tragedy has deepened distrust of what many had already seen as an inept and corrupt political class. An anti-government protest movement erupted last October, fueled by an economic crisis and a collapsing currency//BBC

PHOTO : TIMESOFREPUBLIC

Investigators have found the so-called "black boxes" of a plane that crashed in the southern India state of Kerala, killing at least 18 people. The Air India Express plane, en route from Dubai, skidded off the runway during bad weather before breaking in two while landing at Kozhikode airport. There were 190 people on board the flight and one official said it was a "miracle" the toll was not higher. The flight was repatriating Indians stranded by the coronavirus crisis. First responders to the crash have been asked to go into quarantine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "pained" by the accident. Flight IX 1134 was carrying 184 passengers, including 10 infants, and six crew when it attempted to land at the airport in Kozhikode, formerly known as Calicut. The Boeing 737 aircraft crashed at 19:40 local time on Friday. Indian media said the pilots could not see the runway during a first attempt at landing due to heavy rain//BBC

PHOTO : PATCH

In South America, more than 70,000 indigenous people have been infected by COVID-19 to date. Among them are almost 23,000 members of 190 indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin. Over 1,000 deaths have been recorded, including several elders with deep knowledge of ancestral traditions. They include the tragic death in Brazil this week of chief Aritana, of the Yawalapiti people. Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in the statement received by VOI on August 9 said that COVID-19 is a critical threat to indigenous peoples, at a time when many are also struggling against man-made environmental damage and economic depredation. In almost all the 90 countries where they live in often remote locations, many indigenous communities have deeply inadequate access to health care, clean water and sanitation. Bachelet said in June her office issued a Guidance Note on indigenous peoples' human rights in the context of COVID-19. It highlights promising practices adopted by several countries – many in close consultation with indigenous peoples – and emphasises practical recommendations with both immediate and longer term impact on health//Media release

PHOTO : RUTLANDHERALD

Thousands in Britain sought refuge from the searing heat Friday, mobbing beaches and parks despite warnings to keep their distance from others amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With the pandemic curbing Britons’ ability to travel abroad, those in need of sea air after months in lockdown pushed the rules on staying far apart. Parks also were crowded as people sought shade in temperatures predicted to rise to 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) — or maybe more. As stated by APNews.com (07/8) last week, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution carried out 30 rescues on just one beach on a single day in Cornwall. Kitty Norman, a water safety expert at the charity stated the beaches across the whole of the southwest are extremely busy at the moment with both locals who are holidaying at home this year and an influx of visitors to the region//APNews