World News Summary: Global Conflicts, Hajj Pilgrimage, and Humanitarian Challenges
More than 1.5 million Muslims from around the world have begun performing the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. However, this year's Hajj is taking place under the shadow of concerns due to rising tensions between the United States and Iran. The Indonesian government is also preparing various mitigation steps to ensure the safety of pilgrims amidst the unstable regional situation.
The security situation in the Middle East is indeed heating up after the United States military launched new strikes in southern Iran. The strikes targeted missile sites and vessels deemed a security threat. Interestingly, amidst this crisis, reports have emerged that several large companies have actually reaped profits of up to trillions of rupiah, while the general public faces a rising cost of living due to the impact of the war.
In Indonesia, the issue of international cooperation is also a focus following plans to turn Kertajati Airport in West Java into a repair center for United States Hercules aircraft. This plan has sparked public discussion regarding the possibility of the airport being repurposed as a foreign military base. Additionally, domestic security issues are also in a state of emergency with the prevalence of street robberies (begal) around Jakarta, triggering debate over the police policy of taking firm "shoot on sight" action.
Unpleasant news also comes from Sumatra, which recently experienced a total power outage or 'blackout' for several days. This incident caused significant losses for the business sector and even resulted in fatalities, leading to demands for PLN to provide compensation to the public. Still in the Sumatra region, female disaster survivors in Aceh are reportedly struggling to raise their babies in temporary shelters with very minimal facilities and limited assistance.
A distressing humanitarian crisis is also occurring in Afghanistan, where extreme poverty is forcing some parents to sell their children so that other family members can survive hunger. Meanwhile, in countries with repressive governments such as Myanmar and Venezuela, citizens continue to seek creative ways to bypass internet blocks to remain able to obtain information and communicate with the outside world.
Closing with news from the world of science, experts explain the unique phenomenon of leaning buildings around the world, including the famous Tower of Pisa. Although their positions appear unstable, these buildings have not collapsed due to soil structure factors and specific architectural techniques. This remains an interesting topic for researchers who want to understand how these buildings have survived for hundreds of years.