Crisis Looming for UNRWA: Impact Beyond Gaza and into Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank

Crisis Looming for UNRWA: Impact Beyond Gaza and into Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank

Jakarta – “God forbid UNRWA goes bankrupt.” This was conveyed by a woman named Sanaa Sarhal, referring to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the largest humanitarian agency in Gaza. For those who are dependent, the impact will be felt. “There will be riots and violence,” predicted Sanaa Sarhal. “UNRWA’s … Read more

Germany pressured to increase military budget after Trump’s threats

Germany pressured to increase military budget after Trump’s threats

Jakarta – Recent threats from Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, that the United States “will not protect Europe if there is still a gap in the defense budget, and will encourage Russia to do whatever they want,” fueled pressure from politicians on the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to drastically increase his military budget. Because … Read more

Pakistan 2024 Elections: PTI and the Military Power Struggle

Pakistan 2024 Elections: PTI and the Military Power Struggle

Islamabad – The general perception in Pakistan regarding the February 8, 2024 elections is that the results have already been decided behind the scenes. The powerful military group, according to many Pakistanis who spoke to DW, will be determined to remove former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from power at all costs. … Read more

Miss Japan 2024: The First Non-Japanese Born Winner Causes Controversy

Miss Japan 2024: The First Non-Japanese Born Winner Causes Controversy

Jakarta – When Carolina Shiino recently received the crown and sash that marked her as “Miss Japan 2024” at a hotel in Tokyo, the 26 year old woman actually cried with emotion. However, she was the first woman born outside Japan to non-Japanese parents to win the title. After his enthronement, Shiino, who only received … Read more

Germany’s New Citizenship Law: Changes, Criticism, and Lessons from History

Germany’s New Citizenship Law: Changes, Criticism, and Lessons from History

Jakarta – About twelve million people in Germany do not have German passports, even though almost half of them have lived in Germany for more than ten years. This is likely to change with the approval of the new law on German citizenship. In the future, people who have jobs and can support themselves will … Read more

Massive Protests Against Far-Right AfD Party Sweep Germany

Massive Protests Against Far-Right AfD Party Sweep Germany

Jakarta – An estimated 1.4 million people in Germany demonstrated against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party from Friday (19/01) to Sunday (21/01), according to organizers. Demonstrations over the weekend were held in around 100 locations throughout Germany. On Sunday (21/01), protests took place in several big cities such as Cologne, Munich and Berlin. … Read more

Germany at a Crossroads: Unrest, Protests, and Potential “Angry Elections” in 2024

Germany at a Crossroads: Unrest, Protests, and Potential “Angry Elections” in 2024

Jakarta – Still fresh in German minds, former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) won the federal election by doing one thing, namely by doing nothing. “You know me,” was his campaign slogan, and posters showed his hands forming diamonds. This attitude seems meditative for Merkel. He once said that this kind of posture helped him keep … Read more

White House warns of running out of time and money to aid Ukraine in face of Russian invasion

White House warns of running out of time and money to aid Ukraine in face of Russian invasion

Jakarta – The United States will run out of time and money to help Ukraine fight back a Russian invasion unless Congress approves a new spending package, the White House said Monday. Joe Biden’s administration had asked Congress last October to approve a $106 billion package to fund aid for Ukraine and Israel, as well … Read more

Life in Kabul under the Taliban: Improvements and Challenges

Life in Kabul under the Taliban: Improvements and Challenges

Jakarta – The atmosphere on the streets of the Afghan capital has changed since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, cleaner and safer, but also bleaker. Under the leadership of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Kabul City government launched an ambitious program to improve life in this city of seven million people. This was … Read more

China’s Involvement in the Israel-Palestine Conflict – Trade, Disputes, and Diplomacy

China’s Involvement in the Israel-Palestine Conflict – Trade, Disputes, and Diplomacy

Jakarta – Shahdan, during World War II as many as 20,000 Jews from Europe found refuge in Shanghai, China. However, the flight ended after the war, when the Communist Party seized power and forced Jewish traders to sell their assets to the government at low prices. As a result, they fled from China. For a … Read more