Running Jack
Everybody is doing all they can to inject a little bit of positivity to the world amid the coronavirus outbreak. But a tourist named Jack is set to go the distance to do so. In his bid to raise money to buy food for Balinese who have had no income during the pandemic, Jack will be running an ultra-marathon that will cover almost 90km in distance from Lovina in north Bali to Seminyak in the south. Proceeds will go directly to charity organisation Scholars Of Sustenance's Rescue Kitchen.

For the environment
With the streets of Bali now congested and filled with cars and motorbikes, the air quality on the island has deteriorated as of late. In order to turn things around, ride-hailing company Grab has introduced its GrabWheels to Bali as an eco-friendly alternative mode of transportation. Bali Governor I Wayan Koster plans to add corridors in the tourist areas of Bali to accommodate them and other electric vehicles.

An extended stay
7,000 foreigners who have been stuck in Bali due to the pandemic are hailing the decision by the Indonesian government to grant an additional 30 days to apply for a new permit to stay in Bali. They will have until September 20, 2020, to submit their application.

The invasion of the digital nomads
In an effort to revive the tourism industry, the Indonesian government are contemplating issuing a regulation that will allow foreign nationals to work while holidaying in the country. This will enable digital nomads in Bali to legally continue what they have been doing so far.

Free bus rides
The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation recently launched a free-of-charge bus service to help in reducing congestions and traffic accidents on the streets of Bali. As many as 105 of these buses will begin to operate within four corridors in Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan, and Gianyar.

Photo: Geio Tischler