The wave of political, security, and international diplomatic dynamics continued to intensify over the past week ahead of the upcoming 2025 United Nations session. From Europe to Latin America, a series of events highlighted the increasingly complex global tensions.
In Albania, Prime Minister Edi Rama on Thursday (18/9) introduced Diella, a virtual minister powered by artificial intelligence developed in cooperation with Microsoft. Integrated into the e-Albania public service platform, Diella is tasked with ensuring that Albania becomes a country entirely free of corruption. Although regarded as a symbol of transparency and innovation, the decision has drawn criticism from parliamentary opposition members, who view it as a political maneuver to obscure corrupt practices.
Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Donald Trump’s state visit on Wednesday (17/9) was marked by large-scale demonstrations in Parliament Square. Thousands of protesters carried banners reading “no to racism,” “no to Trump,” and “stop arming Israel,” while more than 1,600 police officers were deployed to maintain security. Despite the protests, Trump was welcomed with a grand royal procession and a large military parade. Shortly thereafter, Trump signed a new proclamation on immigration policy, imposing a fee of 100,000 U.S. dollars—approximately Rp1.6 billion—for H-1B visa applicants. The policy is claimed to ensure that incoming foreign workers are truly highly skilled, but it may put pressure on technology companies that rely on labor from India and China.
On the same day, the European Union submitted a proposal for sanctions and trade restrictions against Israel, including increased tariffs on a number of products. In a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, described the measure as a response to the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza due to the blockade of aid. The proposal also includes sanctions against Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and 10 Hamas leaders. If approved, Israel is expected to bear financial costs of up to €227 million per year to the European Union.
The spotlight on the Gaza crisis has also intensified within the realm of international law. Brazil, together with Spain, Ireland, Mexico, Türkiye, and South Africa, formally submitted interventions to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the alleged genocide committed by Israel. The declaration was filed under Article 63 of the ICJ Statute, asserting violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention by Israel.
Pressure on Israel has intensified after the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, stated on Sunday (21/9) that the UK will formally recognize Palestine as a state, a decision that will be followed by Portugal. This decision represents the fulfillment of Starmer’s statement last July that the UK would change its position in September unless Israel met the requirements to implement a ceasefire and demonstrated its commitment to a two-state solution.
This week in Europe, a cyberattack crippled several major airports on Saturday (20/9), including Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin. The attack on the check-in and boarding systems operated by Collins Aerospace caused delays and even flight cancellations, underscoring the vulnerability of the transportation sector to cross-border digital threats.
Source:
Demony, Catarina dan Sam Tabahriti. “Anti-Trump protesters march through London as president basks in royal welcome.” Reuters. 18 September 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/anti-trump-protesters-march-through-london-president-basks-royal-welcome-2025-09-17/
Farley, Harry dan Jessica Rawnsley. “Starmer set to announce UK recognition of Palestinian state.” BBC. 21 September 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce800enrglzo.
Leba, Elsa Emiria. “Uni Eropa Usulkan Sanksi Perdagangan terhadap Israel.” Kompas. 18 September 2025. https://www.kompas.id/artikel/uni-eropa-usulkan-sanksi-tegas-kepada-israel?open_from=Internasional_Page.
Mada, Kris. “Bandara Eropa Terdampak Serangan Siber ke Kontraktor NATO.” Kompas. 20 September 2025. https://www.kompas.id/artikel/bandara-eropa-terdampak-serangan-siber?open_from=Internasional_Page.
Motamedi, Maziar. “Brazil joins South Africa’s ‘genocide’ case against Israel at ICJ.” Aljazeera. 20 September 2025. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/20/brazil-joins-south-africas-genocide-case-against-israel-at-icj.
Murray, Shona. “EU moves to sanction Israel over Gaza, West Bank humanitarian crisis.” Euro news. 17 September 2025. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/09/17/eu-moves-to-sanction-israel-over-gaza-west-bank-humanitarian-crisis.
Planasari, Sita. “Trump Kenakan Biaya Rp1,6 M untuk Visa H-1B untuk Tekan Imigran.” Tempo. 20 September 2025. https://www.tempo.co/internasional/trump-kenakan-biaya-rp1-6-m-untuk-visa-h-1b-untuk-tekan-imigran-2071621.
Semini, LLazar. “Albania’s AI ‘minister’ makes its debut with an address to parliament.” AP News. 18 September 2025. https://apnews.com/article/albania-new-cabinet-program-ai-minister-diella-corruption-3aa58c801d69b5b295975cc68079a2d3.