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According to the latest poll by the South Korean polling agency Realmeter, President Lee Jae-myung’s job approval rating has dropped to 38.9%, down 1.3 percentage points from the previous week. This marks a seven-week consecutive decline and the first time his approval rating has fallen below the 40% mark, hitting a record low since he took office in June last year. Meanwhile, his disapproval rating rose to 58.7%, remaining outside the margin of error for the fifth consecutive week. Regionally, the most significant drop was seen in the Daejeon, Chungcheong, and Sejong areas, plummeting by 8.5 percentage points in a single week. The loss of support among the 40-to-50 age demographic was also highly notable.

Analysts point out that the Lee administration is currently grappling with four major controversies converging simultaneously. First, real estate policies and housing price issues continue to fuel public discontent. Second, judicial and constitutional disputes have emerged due to the blocked appointments of Supreme Court justice nominees. Third, a major missing person case on Jeju Island has exposed public distrust in the police and the public security system. Finally, internal conflicts have arisen within the ruling bloc, triggered by politicians' gaffes and ideological divisions. The intertwining of these multiple negative factors has been a primary driver of the continued slump in Lee's approval ratings.

In terms of political party support, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea garnered a 43.1% approval rating, a slight increase of 1.2 percentage points from the previous week, while the main opposition People Power Party held steady at 37.7%. Analysts believe that although the Democratic Party has temporarily stabilized its base by consolidating its political platform and focusing on livelihood issues, the continuous decline in Lee’s personal approval indicates that public doubts regarding the government's performance have yet to be dispelled. Whether the administration can effectively address the controversies surrounding housing prices, the judiciary, and public security will be a crucial test in salvaging its reputation.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the 28th that the United States has reached a major oil agreement with Venezuela. The deal will secure majority control of over 65 billion barrels of Venezuela's proven oil reserves through a public-private partnership. Trump called it "the largest oil deal in history," which is expected to boost U.S. oil reserves and drive down domestic gasoline prices.

Trump stated that he had directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to negotiate closely with Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodríguez. This ultimately led to a partnership between the U.S. government and Venezuelan private operators to develop 17 oil fields. The agreement involves over 65 billion barrels of oil reserves and is expected to attract approximately $100 billion in investment.

The White House stated that the deal will help rebuild Venezuela's aging oil infrastructure and increase crude oil supplies. The Venezuelan government estimates that the oil field development could significantly boost oil production and generate around $209 billion in tax revenue for the government. Trump emphasized that the agreement will more than double the oil reserves controlled by the United States and help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The U.S. also hopes that by increasing the supply of Venezuelan crude, it can alleviate the impact of recent high oil prices on the American public.

However, the specific legal and financial framework of the agreement has not yet been fully disclosed. Analysts point out that due to years of underinvestment and aging infrastructure in Venezuela's oil industry, it may still take years for the implementation of the agreement to translate into actual production increases.

The recent major glacier collapse disaster in the border region between Nepal and Tibet, China, triggered massive floods, mudslides, and ice-rock avalanches, leaving hundreds dead and thousands missing. It has also forced the world to once again confront the mounting disaster risks in mountainous regions driven by climate change. Experts warn that similar phenomena of glacier and mountain instability are not unique to the Himalayas; Alpine regions, including France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria, face identical threats.

On August 26, a massive ice and rock collapse occurred in the Rasuwa district of northern Nepal. A vast amount of ice, snow, rocks, and debris instantly surged into the river valley, triggering fierce floods. The torrent rapidly advanced downstream along the riverbed, destroying roads, bridges, homes, and hydroelectric facilities. Preliminary assessments by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) suggest the disaster was likely a massive debris flow and flood triggered by rapid slope instability.

The scale of the disaster continues to expand. Current statistics from Nepal and Tibet indicate that the death toll has exceeded 600, with thousands still missing. The Nepalese government estimates that post-disaster reconstruction could require around $4 billion to $5 billion, equivalent to nearly 10% of the country's economic output. Roads, bridges, and energy infrastructure have suffered severe damage, while search and rescue operations face immense challenges due to treacherous mountainous terrain and severed transport links in certain areas.

Scientists point out that while the disaster was initially thought to be linked to an earthquake, subsequent satellite imagery and geological analyses revealed it was likely an ice-rock avalanche caused by a large-scale collapse of high-altitude glaciers and rock masses. The massive ice-rock mass hit the valley floor, forming a violent debris torrent. Water levels in some rivers rose by approximately 9 meters in just 30 minutes, illustrating the highly sudden nature and extremely short warning time characteristic of such alpine disasters.

The French newspaper Le Parisien noted that the disaster in Nepal has prompted the French Alps to re-examine their own glacial risks. Struck by climate warming in recent years, glaciers in the Alps have been rapidly retreating, accompanied by the thawing of permafrost. This has gradually weakened mountainsides that formerly relied on ice and permafrost for stability.

European glaciologist Olaf Eisen warned that Europe is one of the fastest-warming regions globally. Continuously rising temperatures are driving glacial retreat and permafrost thaw, further undermining the geological structure of high-altitude areas. This is especially true for zones situated at altitudes of roughly 2,500 to 3,000 meters, including parts of the mountains in France, Italy, Austria, and Switzerland, which face elevated risks of glacier collapses, rockfalls, mudslides, and floods. Eisen pointed out that while the scale of the recent disaster in Nepal far exceeds that of some recent glacier collapses in the Alps, it does not mean Europe is free from similar risks. When heatwaves or heavy rainfall coincide with the instability of glaciers and permafrost, they can serve as the final straw triggering massive mountain collapses.

Changes in Switzerland in recent years are particularly alarming. Since 1850, approximately 1,000 glaciers in Switzerland have vanished. In 2025, Swiss glaciers lost about 10% of their ice volume in just two years—a loss equivalent to what occurred over the 30-year period from 1960 to 1990. Rapid ice melt signifies not only changes to water resources and landscapes but also means that mountains previously anchored by ice, snow, and permafrost could lose their structural support.

The Alps have witnessed multiple glacier and rock collapse incidents in recent years. In 2025, a rock and glacier collapse occurred in Blatten, Switzerland; although local residents were evacuated beforehand, a 64-year-old man was still killed. In 2022, a massive ice chunk broke off the Marmolada glacier in Italy's Dolomites, resulting in the deaths of 11 mountaineers.

In France, glaciers near Chamonix are under close surveillance. Experts explain that meltwater pockets can form at the base of some glaciers. When high temperatures or intense rainfall cause a sudden spike in water pressure, it can weaken the bond between the glacier and the bedrock, potentially causing the ice mass to slide off abruptly.

The successive heatwaves in the summer of 2026 have subjected the Alpine glaciers to severe tests. France and Western Europe have been hit by multiple heatwaves this year. Swiss glacier monitoring agencies noted that the rate of glacial meltwater is abnormally fast, and 2026 could potentially become one of the worst years for ice melt in modern history.

Experts believe that the most critical warning from the Nepal disaster is that high-altitude regions are entering a more unstable era. Global warming not only shrinks glacier areas but also alters the freezing and thawing cycles inside mountains, disrupting the pre-existing balance among rocks, glaciers, and permafrost. As extreme weather events like heatwaves and torrential rains become more frequent, glacial retreat and mountain instability can interact, forming sudden ice-rock avalanches, glacial lake outburst floods, and mudslides. Once these disasters occur, they often spread rapidly from the high mountains down to populated river valleys, leaving residents and rescue teams with exceedingly limited reaction time.

Therefore, experts urge that countries must not solely rely on post-disaster rescue operations. Instead, they should strengthen holistic monitoring of glaciers, permafrost, and mountainsides, establish transnational real-time early warning systems, and incorporate infrastructure such as roads, hydroelectric plants, tourist areas, and valley settlements into long-term risk assessments.

The Norwegian Royal Court announced on the 28th that King Harald V passed away at 6:35 AM that day at Rikshospitalet (the National Hospital) in Oslo at the age of 89. In accordance with the Norwegian line of succession, Crown Prince Haakon has acceded to the throne as King Haakon VIII.

Born in 1937, Harald lived in exile in the United States during his early childhood due to World War II, returning to Norway after the war in 1945. He became Crown Prince in 1957 and ascended the throne in 1991, reigning for 35 years. He was the first Norwegian king born on native soil since the 14th century and was Europe's oldest reigning monarch prior to his passing. Known throughout his reign for his down-to-earth and pragmatic approach, he was deeply beloved by the public, often referred to as the "grandfather of the nation" and the "people's king."

In his youth, Harald V broke royal tradition by marrying commoner Sonja Haraldsen—a decision that caused significant debate within the royal family and among the public at the time. After taking the throne, he continually pushed to modernize the monarchy, bridging the gap between the Crown and ordinary citizens while increasing transparency regarding royal finances and health.

Beyond modernizing the monarchy, Harald V frequently served as a unifying figure during times of national crisis. Following the 2011 Oslo bombing and the Utøya island mass shooting that resulted in devastating casualties, he publicly wept and stood alongside the victims' families. In subsequent years, his outspoken support regarding immigrants, religious freedom, diverse family structures, and same-sex couples made him a vital symbol of a modern royal house.

Despite facing health challenges and royal controversies in his later years, Harald V consistently refused to abdicate, maintaining that he had taken a lifelong oath before the Storting (Parliament). In addition to concerns surrounding his health, public pressure on the royal family mounted over Crown Princess Mette-Marit's past association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as a criminal case involving her son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby.

Following King Harald's death, the Royal Palace lowered its flags to half-mast, and citizens gathered to lay flowers outside the palace grounds. His 53-year-old son, Haakon, has succeeded him as King Haakon VIII. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stated that the nation has entered an official period of mourning and expressed profound gratitude for the monarch's decades of dedicated service to the country.

On the 26th, the Brazilian government, through the Office of the Attorney General of the Union (AGU), filed a public civil action in the Federal Court of Brasília against the popular communication platform Discord. The lawsuit accuses Discord of failing to comply with child and adolescent protection laws and seeks up to 500 million Brazilian reais (approximately $97 million USD) in collective moral damages. Under Brazil’s Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent (ECA Digital), which took effect in March 2026, the platform contains age-verification loopholes that expose minors to extreme risks of harmful content; the law mandates that platforms must exercise a duty of care and implement safety-by-design and preventive safeguards.

The lawsuit was triggered by a tragedy in July of this year, when a 13-year-old girl was incited and encouraged by members of an online group to take her own life while livestreaming on Discord, ultimately resulting in her fatal suicide. In the same incident, another 17-year-old was also encouraged to self-harm.

Discord completely failed to detect this severe violation at the time—it did not interrupt the livestream, nor did it report the incident to Brazilian authorities. Five teenagers and one adult were arrested by Brazilian authorities in connection with the suicide, including a suspect as young as 14. Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) subsequently ordered Discord to suspend its livestreaming and video-sharing features in the country. Violations of this administrative order carry fines of up to 50 million reais (approximately $9.7 million USD) per infraction.

The Brazilian government had previously attempted to reach a compliance agreement with Discord, demanding that the platform establish strict age verification rather than allowing registration via arbitrarily entered birthdates, mandatorily link accounts of users under 16 to a legal guardian, and implement real-time monitoring mechanisms to block self-harm and extreme violence. However, negotiations collapsed and led to legal action because Discord's proposed technical and financial remediation plans were deemed "insufficient to eliminate potential risks." In its complaint, the government requested an injunction from the court; if granted, the platform will face daily fines of 500,000 reais (approximately $97,000 USD) if the issues are not remedied within 15 days.

By seeking such substantial collective damages, the Brazilian government aims to send a strong signal to all multinational tech platforms regarding its determination to strictly enforce the newly enacted ECA Digital. The 500-million-real claim in collective moral damages is roughly three times the 153.8 million reais (approximately $30 million USD) fine levied just a day prior (on the 25th) against ByteDance’s TikTok for violating child data protection laws.

Discord issued a statement expressing regret over the lawsuit, calling the requested damages disproportionate and arguing that they do not accurately reflect the platform's efforts to maintain safety and comply with Brazilian law, adding that it will continue to communicate with Brazilian authorities to seek a resolution.

On the 21st, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan, New York, ruled that the Trump administration's policy suspending visa interview appointments and the issuance of immigrant visas across 75 countries worldwide was "patently unlawful." The ruling stated that the restrictive policy substantially exceeded the statutory authority of the Secretary of State and infringed upon consular officers' authority to adjudicate visas. However, on the 24th, the Department of State announced a worldwide suspension of visa interview appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates and directed consular officers to pause all visa adjudications, claiming it was to accommodate an "internal review and public charge rule training program" launched across global diplomatic posts. Citing internal State Department documents, the Associated Press reported on the 24th that the Trump administration is planning another unprecedented, hardline immigration control measure: revoking the non-immigrant visitor and business visas (B1/B2 visas) of up to 200,000 foreign nationals who have already applied for asylum in the U.S. This plan was officially confirmed on the 25th in a statement by State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Spearheaded by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the restrictive policies aim to conduct a comprehensive review and overhaul of immigration procedures to screen out applicants who might require U.S. social assistance and become a "public charge" after entry. The affected regions include Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, as well as multiple Latin American and African nations. Since its implementation, the ban has plunged tens of thousands of immigrant applicants worldwide and their families in the U.S. into severe legal limbo and distress. Now, the Department of State is citing official training—without disclosing specific training curricula or a definitive timeline—as what is effectively a tactical maneuver to circumvent the judicial ruling.

The successive waves of immigration policies have triggered widespread panic and anxiety among asylum seekers. While it may not lead to immediate deportation, revoking their visas strips them of their original lawful status. On the 26th, immigrant rights groups—including plaintiffs such as the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC), African Communities Together (ACT), and the National Immigration Law Center (NILC)—formally filed an emergency motion to enforce the court order, accusing the administration of blatantly defying the judicial ruling. Plaintiff attorneys condemned the government for using "internal training" as a pretext to persist with a ban already declared unlawful, attempting to evade legal constraints while continuing to inflict irreparable harm on affected immigrant communities. [Reported and compiled by Reporter Lin Yiran]

US-Canada trade negotiations collapsed on the eve of the deadline, with the United States promptly imposing a 50% tariff on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, deepening the trade war between the two nations.

The conflict stemmed from US President Donald Trump’s allegations that Canada discriminates against American businesses—specifically highlighting bans on US alcohol in several Canadian provinces. However, these bans were originally implemented by Canada in retaliation against earlier US tariff measures. Although Trump claimed during negotiations that both sides were close to reaching a "fair deal" and even extended the deadline, the talks ultimately fell apart after the US introduced excessive, last-minute demands.

Canadian Prime Minister Carney explicitly rejected these demands, accusing Washington of undermining Canadian sovereignty and emphasizing, "When you are attacked, you are in a fight." Carney immediately recalled his negotiators and pledged a dollar-for-dollar tariff retaliation. In response, Trump countered that Canada wants all the benefits of being an American state without actually becoming one.

Domestic pushback within Canada has been equally fierce. Manitoba Premier Kinew and former chief negotiator Steve Verheul both warned that capitulating to Trump would only invite endless demands, urging the nation to stand firm and united. Political scientist Andrea Lawlor noted that this incident sends a clear signal to the world: Washington now prioritizes its own interests over shared economic harmony. It demonstrates that dialogue with the Trump administration can disintegrate at any moment, and even if economic pressure eventually forces both sides back to the negotiating table to strike a deal, its enforceability remains highly uncertain.

The European Commission (EC) on August 24 approved an additional €6.1 billion (about NT$226.8 billion) in financial assistance for Ukraine to purchase military equipment, including air defense systems, missiles, ammunition and radar. The EU said the funding comes on top of an earlier €16 billion military procurement program, of which €8.35 billion has already been disbursed, underscoring Europe’s continued efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that as Russia’s offensive intensifies, the EU is accelerating efforts to help Ukraine protect its people and defend its airspace. She stressed that Europe would continue to stand with Ukraine and provide the necessary support whenever it is needed. The latest aid package focuses on strengthening air defense and early-warning capabilities in response to the growing threat from Russian missile and drone attacks.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz co-chaired a “Coalition of the Willing” meeting in Kyiv on August 24, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening support for Ukraine’s war effort. CNN reported that France and Ukraine are considering establishing production lines in Ukraine to manufacture the SCALP (Storm Shadow) cruise missile, jointly developed by Britain and France, further enhancing Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities. Britain also plans to share technical information on some missile components with Ukraine, deepening military cooperation between the two countries.

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz is calling on his cabinet to accelerate reforms aimed at easing the burden on businesses and boosting economic growth. Government ministries are expected to swiftly implement reform decisions reached before the summer recess, including measures involving taxation, pensions, deregulation and digitalization.

According to reports, Merz said ahead of a cabinet meeting in Neuhardenberg, Brandenburg, that Germany is facing major challenges to growth and employment. He stressed that economic growth and jobs are currently the government’s top priorities, saying the administration must remain fully focused and keep its sights firmly on these goals.

Merz plans to urge cabinet ministers to quickly implement the reforms agreed upon before the summer recess, covering areas such as taxation, pensions, deregulation and digitalization. He emphasized that the government had made historic decisions before the summer break and must now put them into practice as quickly as possible. The next step, he said, is to turn policies into concrete measures rather than allowing them to remain at the legislative and planning stages.

In recent years, Germany’s economy has been weighed down by high energy costs, weak external demand, cumbersome bureaucracy and declining industrial competitiveness. The speed at which reforms can be implemented will be crucial to restoring investor confidence and supporting economic recovery.

Merz stressed that the government’s top priority is to reduce the burden on businesses quickly and comprehensively, particularly by supporting skilled workers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as they cope with the current economic challenges.

Following his recent request to scale down joint U.S.–South Korea military drills, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly stated on the 19th that he hopes to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again this year. Emphasizing the friendly relationship they had built, Trump further specified that North Korea possesses 57 nuclear weapons. However, on the afternoon of the 20th, North Korea launched approximately 10 short-range ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang area toward the waters east of the Korean Peninsula. South Korea convened an emergency meeting the same day, ordering the military to intensify surveillance and maintain full combat readiness.

South Korea's military detected the missile launches toward the northeastern waters at around 5:00 PM on the 20th. The missiles reached a maximum altitude of approximately 90 kilometers, flew about 320 kilometers, and ultimately landed near the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula. Japan also detected suspected missile launches, with one missile landing outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Prior to the launches, Kim Yo Jong, sister of Kim Jong Un and Vice Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, condemned the joint U.S.–South Korea military exercises. She argued that scaling down the drills was not a policy concession and that U.S. hostility toward North Korea remained unchanged. However, she noted that Kim Jong Un still cherishes personal memories of his interactions with Trump and that the two leaders continue to maintain a good relationship.

On the morning of the 21st, authorities from the U.S., Japan, and South Korea held a trilateral phone conference regarding North Korea's ballistic missile tests to share intelligence and discuss response strategies. Following the meeting, they released a statement condemning the launches as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and pledged to cooperate closely to continuously monitor North Korea's actions. The South Korean government also issued a statement on the 21st, emphasizing that it remains committed to peaceful dialogue, ongoing communication with North Korea to ease regional tensions, and close cooperation with the United States to implement the denuclearization policy and achieve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.