Hello, Kawan HI! The international world was once again buzzing with a variety of interesting issues this week, from tensions in Asia to a spectacular celestial phenomenon in Europe. From diplomacy and international cooperation to security issues, let’s take a look at what happened around the world over the past week!
In the Asia-Pacific region, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to completing the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2026 during the 59th ASEAN Day celebration in Ottawa. Indonesia, as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa, also encouraged the negotiations to be concluded by the end of the year. ASEAN and Canada share strong economic ties, with trade reaching C$52.4 billion.
Meanwhile, the Chinese and Indonesian navies are set to conduct joint military exercises in waters east of Taiwan in August 2026. The exercises will include communication and resupply operations aimed at strengthening the capabilities of both navies. The drills are taking place amid tensions between China and Taiwan over Beijing’s sovereignty claims.
At the same time, North Korea conducted another ballistic missile test, with the missile flying more than 700 kilometers from Wonsan on Wednesday (August 12). South Korea and Japan condemned the launch as a provocation and a security threat. The test is believed to be linked to the upcoming US-South Korea military exercises, which are scheduled to begin on August 17.
In addition, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that up to 50,000 North Korean troops could be deployed to Russia to assist in the war. He also claimed that Ukraine had found North Korean missiles on its territory. Zelenskyy called on South Korea to assist Ukraine with air defense systems. North Korea had previously sent around 14,000 troops to Russia in 2024.
Beyond the region, security concerns also emerged after US President Donald Trump secretly switched aircraft while departing Ankara, Türkiye, amid an alleged threat from Iran. Trump was transferred to another aircraft using a catering truck at the request of the military and the Secret Service. The media and some staff members were unaware that they were aboard a decoy aircraft.
Colombia also began receiving international aid and rescue teams after initially rejecting several offers of assistance following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake. Aid eventually arrived from several countries, including Mexico, which sent assistance and rescue personnel. Delays in coordinating international assistance became the first major controversy of President Abelardo de la Espriella’s administration.
Meanwhile, a solar eclipse took place across the United Kingdom and Europe, with most parts of the UK experiencing a partial eclipse of up to 90 percent. A total eclipse was visible in Spain, Iceland, and Greenland. The phenomenon became the most dramatic eclipse seen in the UK since 1999 and attracted large crowds of spectators. The total eclipse lasted for less than two minutes.
Source:
Burke, George. “Once-in-a-generation solar eclipse wows millions in UK and Europe”. BBC. 13 Agustus 2026. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgdp4923rdo.
Fisayo-Bambi, Jerry. “Pyongyang tests another missile within one week and ahead of US-South Korean military drills”. Euro News. 12 Agustus 2026. https://www.euronews.com/2026/08/12/pyongyang-tests-another-missile-within-one-week-and-ahead-of-us-south-korean-military-dril.
Jacobs, Jennifer. “Trump secretly switched to different plane in Turkey amid Iran missile threat”. CBS news. 11 Agustus 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-secretly-switched-plane-turkey-air-force-one-iran-war-threat/.
Octavia, Cindy Frishanti. “ASEAN Day ke-59, Kanada targetkan FTA rampung 2026”. Antara News. 11 Agustus 2026. https://www.antaranews.com/berita/5689148/asean-day-ke-59-kanada-targetkan-fta-rampung-2026.
Reuters. “Zelenskyy says 50,000 North Korean soldiers ready to fight for Russia in Ukraine war, calls on South Korea to help”. ABC News. 9 Agustus 2026. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-09/zelenskyy-says-50-000-north-korean-soldiers-will-help-russia/107014914.
Reyhansyah, Muhammad. “Tiongkok-Indonesia Gelar Latihan Angkatan Laut di Perairan Dekat Taiwan”. Metro TV. 12 Agustus 2026. https://www.metrotvnews.com/read/K5nCRoVZ-tiongkok-indonesia-gelar-latihan-angkatan-laut-di-perairan-dekat-taiwan.
Zegarra, Gonzalo. “Colombia says it will only accept rescue teams from four countries, as earthquake survival window closes”. CNN World. 14 Agustus 2026. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/12/americas/colombia-earthquake-aid-delay-intl-latam.