Lee Jae-myung navigates the perils of South Korea’s imperial presidency

• Representative Steve Cohen introduced 26 articles of impeachment against Donald Trump. • The allegations are based on government records, court rulings, financial disclosures, and documented executive actions.

• The United States will hold midterm elections on November 3, 2026, to determine the legislative control of Congress during President Trump's term. • Voters will contest all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats, putting the Republicans' current slim majorities at risk.

• The World Economic Forum released a report on September 28, 2026, finding that travel and tourism conditions have strengthened across most of the world. • Destinations are currently struggling with workforce shortages, climate disruptions, and mounting pressure on local infrastructure and communities.

• Former South Korean prime minister Kim Min-seok defeated Jung Chung-rae in the Democratic Party of Korea leadership race on 17 August 2026. • Kim entered the race as the preferred candidate of President Lee Jae-myung.

• Asian markets showed mixed movement recently, with the New Zealand Exchange (NZX) bouncing back to flat after testing lower and oil prices rising in early trades. • Singapore is preparing for a 15-year bond auction and industrial production data, while Malaysia expects producer price index (PPI) inflation to rise to 10.3% from 9.7%.

• The Election Commission of India has stopped physical hearings for certain voters and launched an immediate enrolment drive to register new voters. • The Commission has relaxed the declaration requirements for Form 6, allowing forms applicable as per the Registration of Electors Rules 1960 to be used for new voter inclusion during non-Special Intensive Revision periods.

• A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass the necessary funding laws to keep federal agencies running for the upcoming fiscal year. • Congress must pass funding laws to keep federal agencies operational, and failure to do so results in a shutdown, disrupting government services and impacting federal employees.

• Romania has been in a four-month political deadlock with a caretaker government in place, during which time far-right support has been growing. • The far-right opposition is against providing aid to Ukraine, which has become a point of contention in the country's political landscape.

• The US midterm elections are expected to be one of the most consequential in recent history, following policies enacted by President Trump in the past two years. • President Trump's policies have been enabled by a Republican-majority Congress, which is now at stake in the elections.

• The White House has left CNN off the list of media outlets allowed to travel on Air Force One for President Trump's upcoming trip. • A White House official cited "lack of space" as the reason, but this move is seen as part of a larger pattern of restricting media access to the president.

• The Election Commission of India announced decisions regarding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, including a nationwide exercise, today. • The decisions were approved unanimously, indicating a collective agreement among the commission members on the revision of electoral rolls.