VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Almost 300 million students worldwide faced weeks at home on Thursday with Italy the latest country to shut schools over the deadly new coronavirus, as the IMF urged an all-out, global offensive against the epidemic. As quoted by afp.com ( 05/3) more than 95,000 people have been infected and over 3,200 have died worldwide from the virus, which has now reached some 80 countries and territories.The vast majority of global deaths and infections are in China, where the virus first emerged late last year, prompting the country to quarantine entire cities, temporarily shut factories and close schools indefinitely. As the virus spread, other countries have also implemented extraordinary measures, with UNESCO saying Wednesday that 13 countries have closed schools, affecting 290.5 million children, while nine others have implemented localised closures. //afp.com//===

Thousands were stranded on a cruise ship off the California coast Wednesday over fears of the new coronavirus after passengers and crew members on board developed symptoms. As quoted by afp.com ( 05/3)  officials delayed the return of the Grand Princess to San Francisco on Wednesday night from Hawaii in order to carry out testing on board for those potentially infected. The operator Princess Cruises and California Governor,  Gavin Newsom stated that a 71-year-old man who had been aboard the same vessel during its previous voyage to Mexico died after contracting the COVID-19 illness, becoming the first fatal case in California. Gavin Newsom in a press conference stated that  the ship's return from its current voyage was being delayed to allow "ample timing" for testing of "a number of passengers and crew members that have developed symptoms. //afp.com//===

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif stated that Indonesian  government will take strategic steps to increase oil production. After attending the Closed Cabinet Meeting at the Presidential Office in  Jakarta on Wednesday (03/04/2020)  , Minister Arifin Tasrif explained that  the several steps taken by the government are such as maintaining existing oil production levels and increasing exploration steps. Besides, Indonesian government also plans to increase the mobilization of qualified empowers so that the oil production can be optimal //

"The government keeps production levels in the fields. Then,  it can also conduct a resource program to be production , so sources detected have the potential to start production immediately. Besides, the programs to  recover are   through steam-flood, chemical enhanced oil recovery.  Then,  exploration in new fields, which have been detected in order to produce quickly. The target can be done within a period of 10 years. We still also  have 13,000 former drilling holes left. If we reactivate, we can still hope that this will produce additional oil production. The number of 13,000 is large and we need to mobilize experts and equipment to be able to optimize the production" Minister said. 

Besides, discussing efforts to increase national oil production, the Closed Cabinet Meeting also discussed the Electricity Program Ecosystem Structuring. Arifin Tasrif also stated  that related to electricity, the government is discussing a new strategy that would be implemented to optimize electricity absorption. One of them is by accelerating the electrification program. The program is expected to be wholly  completed  in 2020// ANDY/TGH / TRANS : AF

Trade potential  between Indonesia-Afghanistan  is huge. Besides, the security situation in Afghanistan, after the Taliban-United States war which has lasted for 18 years ago, is gradually geting better now especially after the signing of a peace agreement on Saturday (2/29/2020) in Doha, Qatar. The situation makes economic activity and investment in Afghanistan is growing. Even, Indonesian and Afghan businessmen will hold an exhibition in Kabul Afghanistan in April 2020.. This was conveyed by  Indonesian Ambassador to Afghanistan, Arief Rachman, in a special interview with Voice of Indonesia, Wednesday (03/04).

"Next month, there will be an exhibition from our entrepreneurs  in cooperation with Indonesian entrepreneurs. Hopefully,  this will also continue to increase business to business cooperation" Ambassador said. 

Moreover, Ambassador Arief Rachman explained that Indonesian commodities exported to Afghanistan such as  tea, coffee, palm oil, paper and instant noodles are really loved by the local people in Afghanistan. While the Afghanistan commodities exported to Indonesia are carpets, jewels and saffron, a type of spices from the Crocus sativus flower//AHM