A new week, a new chapter in world affairs. Happy Monday, Kawan HI! Many events have unfolded across the world over the past seven days, ranging from international agreements to security issues that have once again come under the spotlight.
Zambia has signed a five-year health funding agreement with the United States worth approximately US$1.5 billion. The agreement supports health programs, including efforts to address HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, amid concerns over patient data privacy and US companies’ access to Zambia’s mineral resources.
In the Middle East, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday (11/10). The attack killed 12 people and injured more than 300 others, forcing the airport to temporarily suspend its operations.
Meanwhile, during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Turkmenistan, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his willingness to help bring an end to the war between the United States and Iran. Pezeshkian stated that Iran and the US had exchanged proposals to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
International cooperation has also continued to develop in the field of education. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto welcomed Egypt’s offer to provide additional scholarships for Indonesian students, particularly in medicine, engineering, and science. Both countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation through student exchanges, university partnerships, and joint research.
On Saturday (10/10), during his National Day address, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te announced a defense budget of US$34.5 billion for 2027, the highest in Taiwan’s history. Lai also emphasized that the increase in defense spending was intended to deter war rather than provoke China. This move also serves as an effort by Taiwan to demonstrate to the US that it is serious about building its own defense capabilities, amid increasing Chinese military pressure and uncertainty surrounding US arms sales.
In Southeast Asia, Indonesia welcomed offers of assistance from Singapore and Malaysia to address forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, which have caused haze across the region. Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) stated that deploying firefighting personnel on the ground could be more effective than using helicopters due to limited visibility.
Meanwhile, on Sunday (11/10), floods in Nepal’s Gorkha District swept away several houses and bridges and damaged a hydropower project. Approximately 50 people were rescued, while five others remain missing. The organization Save the Children is currently preparing an emergency response team to assist affected residents.
Source:
Adit, Albertus. “Taiwan Perbesar Anggaran Militer demi Cegah Perang, Bukan Provokasi Taiwan”. Kompas.com. 10 Oktober 2026. https://www.kompas.com/global/read/2026/10/10/150000070/taiwan-perbesar-anggaran-militer-demi-cegah-perang-bukan-provokasi-china?page=all#page2.
Arshad, Arlina. “Indonesia welcomes Singapore, Malaysia offers to help tackle haze”. The Strait Times. 11 Oktober 2026. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-welcomes-singapore-malaysia-offers-to-help-tackle-haze.
Buyoya, Dingindaba. “Zambia signs US health deal after disputes over data-sharing”. BBC. 9 Oktober 2026. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqd09eyk0g8no.
Haryono, Willy. “Uni Eropa Labeli Serangan Houthi di Bandara Riyadh sebagai Aksi Teror”. Metro TV News. 11 Oktober 2026. https://www.metrotvnews.com/read/KYVC08JZ-uni-eropa-labeli-serangan-houthi-di-bandara-riyadh-sebagai-aksi-teror.
Khadka, Navin Singh. “Homes and bridges swept away as fresh floods hit Nepal”. BBC. 11 Oktober 2026. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ck86zppejjw3o.
“Prabowo Sambut Tawaran Mesir Tambah Beasiswa untuk Mahasiswa RI”. CNN Indonesia. 11 Oktober 2026. https://www.cnnindonesia.com/internasional/20261011154046-120-1414119/prabowo-sambut-tawaran-mesir-tambah-beasiswa-untuk-mahasiswa-ri.
“Putin offers help to end Iran war while Russia continues its own in Ukraine”. Euro News. 9 Oktober 2026. https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/09/putin-offers-help-to-end-iran-war-while-russia-continues-its-own-in-ukraine.