Welcome back, Kawan HI! Over the past week, the international community has once again been marked by various developments in politics, security, and environmental issues.
Saudi Arabia closed the East West oil pipeline after it was attacked by drones launched from Iraq. Iraq acknowledged that the attack originated from its territory and removed the military commander involved, while Saudi Arabia chose not to launch a retaliatory attack for the time being.
In East Asia, Russia and North Korea officially opened the first road bridge connecting the two countries across the Tumen River on September 7. The bridge is expected to accommodate up to 300 vehicles per day and is part of efforts to strengthen the two countries’ economic and military relations.
Tensions between countries also emerged in the Middle East and North Africa. Algeria decided to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and closed its airspace to UAE civilian and military aircraft. The decision came after Algeria accused the UAE of taking provocative and hostile actions, while commercial flights to Algiers will remain permitted until the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that an attack on Saudi Arabia could activate the newly signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. The statement was made after the Houthi group launched a missile attack on Saudi Arabia, injuring at least 73 people.
In another global issue, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new resolution on the use of world maps, supported by 164 countries. The resolution encourages the use of the Equal Earth projection because it is considered more accurate in representing the size of territories, but it faced criticism from Ukraine, Japan, and India regarding the depiction of disputed territories.
In addition, leaders of the BRICS countries held a meeting at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 13, 2026. The meeting resulted in the New Delhi Declaration, which called for calm in the Middle East and cooperation to maintain global trade, supply chains, and energy security. BRICS also reaffirmed its support for Palestine and encouraged cooperation in artificial intelligence and cross-border payment systems.
Beyond political and security issues, volcanic activity also affected people’s activities. Mount Anak Krakatau erupted on Sunday, disrupting hundreds of flights at several airports. Volcanic ash reached an altitude of up to 15,000 meters, causing 209 flights to be disrupted and affecting more than 22,000 passengers. There were no casualties or evacuation orders, while monitoring activities around the volcano continued.
Source:
“BRICS nations urge ‘restraint’ in Middle East, smooth flow of global trade”. Aljazeera. 12 September 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/12/brics-summit-opens-in-new-delhi-amid-wars-global-tensions-tariffs.
Fatimah, Midhat. “Indonesia: Flights canceled as Anak Krakatau volcano erupts”. DW. 7 September 2026. https://www.dw.com/en/indonesia-flights-canceled-as-anak-krakatau-volcano-erupts/a-79050871.
“Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could activate defence pact, Pakistan says”. Aljazeera. 9 September 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/9/pakistan-warns-mecca-defense-pact-will-activate-after-houthi-attacks.
Ktan, Sertac. “Algeria closes its airspace to UAE aircrafts after cutting diplomatic ties”. Euro News. 11 September 2026. https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/11/algeria-closes-its-airspace-to-uae-aircrafts-after-cutting-diplomatic-ties.
“PBB Adopsi Resolusi Peta Baru Dunia, Apa yang Berubah?”. CNN Indonesia. 12 September 2026. https://www.cnnindonesia.com/internasional/20260911201637-134-1403012/pbb-adopsi-resolusi-peta-baru-dunia-apa-yang-berubah.
“Peta Dunia Baru”. Tempo. 10 September 2026. https://www.tempo.co/infografik/infografik/peta-dunia-baru-2286529.
“Russia, North Korea open first road bridge across border”. CNA. 7 September 2026. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/russia-north-korea-first-road-bridge-6367571.
Turnbull, Tiffanie. “Saudi Arabia shuts key oil pipeline after drone attack launched from Iraq”. BBC. 12 September 2026. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62m933465eo.