VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

File - Indonesian weightlifter Eko Yuli Irawan performs the snatch lift in the men's 61 kg category during the 2023 SEA Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 13, 2023. (ANTARA PHOTOS/Muhammad Adimaja/aww/nbl) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : The Indonesian Olympic Committee (NOC) applauded lifter Eko Yuli Irawan for his fifth Olympic participation streak after passing the qualifications for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. 

"He has made a new historical feat in Indonesian sports by becoming the first athlete to compete in five consecutive Olympics," NOC Indonesia Chairperson Raja Sapta Oktohari said in a press release on Wednesday.

Irawan secured a spot to compete in the 2024 Olympics after completing a 133 kg snatch at the International Weightlifting World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, on Tuesday.

However, the 34-year-old lifter did not complete his clean-and-jerk due to his ongoing recovery from a knee injury.

The 2024 Olympics will be Irawan's fifth consecutive Olympics since his first appearance at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The lifter had won silver medals in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics and bronze medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Oktohari said that NOC Indonesia is glad that Irawan qualified again for the Olympics. He stated that Irawan's consistency in presenting his best performance should be exemplary for other Indonesian athletes.

He hailed Indonesian weightlifters for always participating in the Olympics and contributing medals for the nation's contingent. He also appealed for support from Indonesians to win the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics.

"We hope we can get our first gold medal in Paris in 2024," Oktohari stated.

According to NOC Indonesia, eight athletes have qualified to participate in the 2024 Olympics. They are Eko Yuli Irawan from weightlifting, Arif Dwi Pangestu and Diananda Choirunisa from archery, and Rifda Irfanaluthfi from gymnastics.

Meanwhile, Desak Made Rita Kusuma Dewi and Rahmad Adi Mulyono from sport climbing, Fathur Gustafian from shooting, and Rio Waida from surfing also qualified for the Olympics//ANTARA-VOI

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister, Retno Marsudi (Photo : Antara) -  

VOInews, Jakarta : Minister of Indonesian Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi held a meeting with ambassadors from Arab countries in Jakarta, Tuesday (2/4) to discuss developments in the Palestinian issue, especially the crisis in the Gaza Strip. 

During the discussion which lasted for one hour, Retno conveyed the importance of united attitudes and positions in supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people, as well as having a moral responsibility to support Palestine.

Indonesia and Arab countries can focus on ensuring the implementation of Resolution 2728 of the UN Security Council (UNSC) 2024 - which contains the issue of a ceasefire. The Indonesian Foreign Minister’s meeting with representatives of Arab countries was attended by seven ambassadors, namely from Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Syria, Oman and Egypt. 

In addition, 13 officials representing the embassies of Bahrain, Mauritania, Yemen,Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Libya, Qatar, Kuwait, Tunisia,Sudan, Somalia and Morocco also participated in the meeting//ANTARA-VOI

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi (Photo : Archive VOI) - 

VOInews, Jakarta : Minister of Indonesian Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi condemnedIsrael’s attacks on Iraniandiplomatic buildings and facilities inDamascus, Syria. In her written statement on Tuesday (2/4), ForeignMinister Retno called the action a violation of international law whichclearly stipulates that diplomatic facilities must be protected.

TheIndonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the attack was one ofmany Israeli actions that increased the escalation of the conflict andcould erase the prospects for peace in the Middle East region. A topcommander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and sixother officers were killed in a missile attack targeting the IranianConsulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Monday (1/4).

However,Israel Military Radio said the Iranian Embassy was not the target of theattack, but rather a nearby building that served as the IRGC’s militaryheadquarters in Damascus was bombed, without admitting that theattack was carried out by Tel Aviv//ANTARA-VOI

Indonesian Tourism and creative economy, Sandiaga Uno met after the extended weekly press briefing in Jakarta (Photo : NK-VOI) -

VOInews, Jakarta : The Indonesian Tourism and creative economy Ministry encourages short term visas acceleration in the Riau Islands. Foreign tourists visit  in the Riau Islands will be supported by short term visas under 7 days  in order to achieve the target in 2024. This  was  conveyed by the Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga  Salahudin Uno at the Extended Weekly Press Briefing event in Jakarta on Monday (1/4).

"For foreign tourists, the government still refers to three main gates, namely Bali, Jakarta and the Riau Islands which reach almost 90 percent . For Jakarta and Bali, this is still very strong, still very strong at 15 to 20 thousand per day. However, in Riau Islands, there is still one policy that the government cannot implement, namely short term visas under 7 days" said Minister Uno. "

"This is what happened yesterday, when I was in Batam, I wanted it because the target of 3 million tourists was impossible to achieve. Last year the government only had 1.7 million because it was still waiting for the policy which was actually proposed by Industry a long time ago. The Ministry of Tourism will encourage acceleration and it will facilitate with the Ministry of Finance  for its release. It is because the Ministry of Law and Human Rights has agreed on 10 dollars for short term visas under 7 days specifically for the destination area of the Riau Islands", Minister Uno explain. 

Furthermore, Minister Sandiaga  Uno  explained  that during the Eid al-Fitr holiday in Indonesia, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is optimistic that it will be able to move the Indonesian economy by 400 to 450 trillion rupiah or 25 to 28 billion US dollar from the tourism and creative economy sectors//(VOI-NK-Mar-AF)