The Sistine Chapel is seen on the eve of the conclave on Tuesday at The Vatican.

Popes have been European for centuries, is it time for one from Africa or Asia?

Why, in a global communion of 1.4 billion faithful, has the modern conclave not looked beyond Europeans for a new pope? And what would need to change for it to do so?

4 months ago

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Overhaul of the procurement mechanism for the free meals program

Universal free lunches can reduce social stigma, ensuring all students feel comfortable receiving meals without economic or health-related discrimination. ...

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What we can expect from Singapore as the PAP tightens grip

The three opposition parties could forge a sort of entente, a united strategy to challenge the mainstream narrative being shaped by PAP. ...

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From dollar hegemony to euro opportunity?

We seem to be approaching a new “Kindleberger gap.” The existing hegemon appears to be self-destructing, as it refuses to supply global public goods, and there is no clear candidate to fill its shoes.

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Traffic congestion is observed at Kilometer 150 of the Cikopo-Palimanan (Cipali) toll road in Mekarjaya, West Java, on April 5, 2024.

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Beyond inflation: Paving the way for fairer toll road tariffs

When toll roads become increasingly vital to connectivity, reconciling tensions between the interests of toll road investors and operators vis-a-vis those of users is a contentious issue to address.

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Quality control: A worker monitors production on Aug. 2, 2024, at the nickel smelter of PT Vale Indonesia in Sorowako, South Sulawesi.

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How Trump’s tariffs could hit developing economies

Our simulations confirm what economists have been asserting for years: Trade wars do not have winners.

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A police officer walks in front of the Constitutional Court building on Feb. 4, 2025, in Jakarta.

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A breakthrough for freedom of expression in Indonesia

Does the recent Constitutional Court's ruling truly safeguard the digital rights of Indonesian citizens, or is it merely symbolic progress in a system still riddled with ambiguity?

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This combination of pictures created on April 09 places in contrast Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) in Beijing on Feb. 6 and United States President Donald Trump in Washington, DC on April 8.

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Washington and Beijing need to have a talk

Given the urgency of the situation, what is standing in the way of negotiations between the US and China?

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Familiar faces: Heads of state pose for a family photo on Dec. 14, 2022, at the European Union-ASEAN summit at the European Council headquarters in Brussels. The two regional groups met to bolster ties.

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ASEAN needs both an EU FTA and zero-emissions community

ASEAN needs to conform to the EU’s trade policy, which is rules-based and bound by its commitments to sustainability, labor rights and democratic values.

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Can Indonesia eliminate cervical cancer by 2030?

The incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer remain alarmingly high in Indonesia.

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Collective action to avoid a world trade war

We are on the precipice of a world trade war. Active and strategic economic diplomacy will be needed to avoid it.

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Students react to their teacher on April 14, 2025, at SMAN 70 Jakarta state senior high school in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

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Revising history to legitimize ruling regime

The new, government-commissioned reference on national history presents several problematic issues in its arrangement and content, lending it the appearance of a revisionist exercise that aims to legitimize the current regime.

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Red-White cooperatives neither essential, nor strategic for now

Is this program essential and strategic now for rural development? The simple answer is no.

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United States President Donald Trump delivers a speech on April 29 marking his 100th day in office at Macomb County Community College Sports Expo Center in Warren, Michigan.

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One hundred days that shook US foreign policy

Trump 2.0 is an activist, imperial presidency, both at home and abroad.

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Nuclear technology without integrity is a risk, not progress

Nuclear energy does not tolerate ambiguity, discretion or improvisation; it requires inflexible regulation, full procedural discipline and long-horizon accountability.

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Residents of Sayung village in Demak regency, Central Java, exchange Idul Fitri greetings on April 10, 2024 amid a flood that hit their neighborhood.

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Keys to human flourishing: Faith and relationships outweigh wealth

Richer developed countries score higher on financial security and life evaluation but poorer nations more than make up for this on meaning, purpose and relationships.

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Why culture still matters in the Global South’s fight for justice

Seventy years after Bandung, the spotlight often falls on its political legacy, but what is often forgotten is that the Bandung Spirit was never merely political, but also profoundly cultural.

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Beyond statistics: Establishing a poverty line that reflects true hardship

While international lines are useful for comparison, they can be misleading if used as the basis for local poverty assessments.

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Russian activists take part in an “Immortal Regiment“ march on Saturday to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the “Great Patriotic War", the Soviet victory over the Nazis in World War II, in Washington, DC.

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80th anniversary of victory over Nazism, preservation of historical truth

Today Nazism is once again rearing its head in Europe.

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A newly inaugurated fuel manufacturing plant is seen on April 9, 2009, in the central province of Isfahan, Iran.

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Can Washington finally resolve the Iran nuclear stalemate?

Iran may be willing to agree to a ceiling on uranium enrichment in return for sweeping sanctions relief and the right to retain its existing nuclear infrastructure.

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How Indonesia can lead in revitalizing the NPT

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Trump to deal press freedom in Asia a big blow

In the Asia-Pacific region, accessing independent and fearless news about regimes that are doing their best to stifle and destroy any form of free press is at risk of becoming more and more challenging.

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May Day in uncertain times: Reclaiming hope through social dialogue

A nation cannot rise if its workers and employers regard each other with suspicion instead of solidarity.

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President Prabowo Subianto addresses reporters on Tuesday after Danantara’s first town hall meeting at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

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Indonesia should respond to Trump's tariffs with import deregulation

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National Education Day: The state’s commitment to ‘pesantren’

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Instead of wallowing in despair over the fraying security alliance, Europe has fostered an unexpected sense of purpose and unity.

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Muslim women greet their Christian colleagues during an interfaith event at the Grand Mosque of Central Java in Semarang, Central Java, on April 10, 2024.

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The fragile promise of pluralism, religious freedom in Southeast Asia

Governments may claim to promote harmony, but their actions often involve policing differences and privileging dominant faiths, leaving minority communities marginalized and vulnerable.

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