INDONESIA
In a cabinet reshuffle just two weeks after the Finance Minister’s resignation, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto yesterday replaced Foreign Minister Sugiono with a career diplomat and reorganised key economic posts. Arrmanatha Christiawan Nasir, a long-serving diplomat and former Deputy Foreign Minister prior to the reshuffle, will succeed Sugiono, a close political ally of the president; he was sworn in at the presidential palace in Jakarta. The 15 appointments announced in total, with immediate effect, include three coordinating ministers, two ministers, five deputy ministers, two agency heads, two deputy agency heads and the national police chief. Analysts and experts explain that the government reshuffle carried out by the President signals the urgent need to respond to criticism and falling approval ratings, by relying on experienced technocrats and trusted figures to fill key roles. However, although the appointment of a new Foreign Minister raises hopes for a degree of moderation in Prabowo’s more ‘impulsive’ foreign policy decisions, it is likely that the role of ‘head of diplomacy’ which the president has assigned to himself will remain unchanged.
ISRAEL – PALESTINE
A day of global mobilisation for Palestine has been called for 10 October: over 200 civil society organisations, trade unions, student federations, human rights networks and grassroots groups across six continents will mobilise in a coordinated action involving more than 60 countries on every continent. Organised by the Global Alliance for Palestine, with the support of the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) and the Global Coalition against the Occupation of Palestine (SANED), the initiative aims to mount a direct and united civil response to Israeli violence in the West Bank. Meanwhile, yesterday, there was a new Palestinian casualty during violent clashes between Jewish and Arab settlers near the village of Yasuf in the West Bank; according to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health, the victim was 51-year-old Mashhour Yassin, who was shot by settlers; two other people were injured. In a statement, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) responded that the death occurred after soldiers opened fire, claiming they had encountered resistance during an arrest attempt. Previously, the settlers had reported an attack involving Palestinians throwing stones.
JAPAN
Japan has increased the fees for foreigners applying for permanent residence twenty-fold, bringing them to $1,270. Applicants must now also meet new requirements regarding income, pensions and knowledge of the Japanese language. At the start of the week, long queues formed outside immigration offices, with applicants trying to avoid the price rises; Tokyo’s main immigration office reported waiting times of over seven hours. The increases are part of changes introduced by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, aimed at managing the rapidly growing foreign population. In July, Japan increased visa fees for all foreign nationals fivefold, the first such rise in 50 years. Although immigration remains a sensitive issue and is subject to restrictions, the ageing population is making the country increasingly reliant on foreign workers to fill labour shortages. The resident foreign population exceeded 4.12 million by the end of 2025, marking a record increase of 9.5 per cent compared with the previous year.
IRAQ
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced 30 June as the new deadline by which Iranian-backed armed factions must hand over their weapons to the state, following the conclusion of the US-led coalition’s mission in the country. “1 October is considered a concrete starting point for addressing the issue of weapons outside state control... in accordance with a clear roadmap and agreed timelines that do not extend beyond 30 June 2027”, said Zaidi, abandoning the initial deadline of 30 September. However, the pro-Tehran armed factions responded that they did not consider themselves “bound” by this. Jaafar al-Husseini, military spokesperson for Kataeb Hezbollah, had announced that the factions had begun talks to “regulate” the possession of weapons, but “have not yet received a response from the Iraqi government”. “In light of this, the Islamic Resistance declares that it is not bound by any timetable or agreement that any governmental or political party has mentioned or may mention in the future.”
INDIA
Indian opposition parties have announced protests to “save democracy”, after the Electoral Commission reportedly endorsed large-scale changes to the electoral roll, disregarding procedural concerns raised by two commissioners. The opposition parties claim that the electoral roll has been manipulated to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Electoral Commission rejects the allegations, stating that differences of opinion are normal in any institution and that all its actions have been legitimate. The planned protests, according to the Congress Party, call for the resignation of Commission Chairman Gyanesh Kumar and include a march to the Commission’s headquarters on 6 October, a rally in Delhi on 1 November and the submission of a petition to the President.
CHINA – UNITED STATESChina has extended two investigations into US trade tariffs until December, as reported yesterday by the state broadcaster CCTV, citing sources at the Ministry of Commerce, thereby postponing any retaliatory measures by Beijing. The investigations into US practices that have “disrupted global industrial and supply chains” and “hindered trade in green products” – which were due to conclude on 27 September – will now continue until 27 December.
The extension comes less than a week after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington, where he was hosted by his US counterpart Donald Trump; on that occasion, the two leaders agreed to extend the current trade truce. They also committed to reducing tariffs on goods worth $30 billion on both sides. The extension was granted due to the ‘complexity’ of the cases.
RUSSIA – UKRAINE
Ukraine has repatriated 14 minors – four boys and ten girls aged between 6 and 17 – from the Russian-controlled part of the Kherson region. This was announced by Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the regional military administration. Among those repatriated is a 16-year-old boy whom Russian soldiers had forced to enlist in the army. “Since the start of the year,” he added, “204 children have been repatriated from the occupied part of the Kherson region”. According to official data from the government in Kyiv, over 200,000 children have been deported to Russia.
UZBEKISTAN
Between 2022 and 2025, 445 criminal cases were opened for the rape of children under the age of 14, as reported in Parliament by Senator Gulrukh Agzamova, chair of the Committee on Democratic Institutions and the Development of Civil Society. The figures were presented during the debate on a previously announced bill aimed at strengthening the protection of children from all forms of violence. In particular, the bill proposes life imprisonment for those found guilty of sexually assaulting children under the age of 14.
