The Weekly Report: June 21-28 2026
United States
The former National Security adviser John Bolton pleaded guilty to mishandling classified information, which could see him imprisoned for up to five years. As part of the plea deal, Bolton will have to pay a fine of 2.25 million dollars and forfeit his pension. Had Bolton decided to go to trial and subsequently been found guilty, he would have faced a much lengthier sentence, possibly decades behind bars. His sentencing is scheduled for October 28.
Asia
A small plane flew into the tallest building in Beijing on Friday. Debris could be seen falling to the ground following the impact as people ran to take cover. It remains unknown if anyone was injured or killed, as the pilot's whereabouts remain unknown. It is also unclear whether or not the crash was accidental or on purpose. The aircraft involved in the crash is registered to a flight training school in Beijing.
Europe
Continued attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Crimea have resulted in a state of emergency being declared in the Russian-occupied territory. On Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said it had intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones overnight. The Defense Ministry did not provide any information regarding injuries and deaths resulting from the attack. Ukraine has been able to launch more and more missile and drone attacks recently as it has ramped up its production capabilities.
Americas
Search and rescue operations are continuing following two devastating back-to-back earthquakes that struck Venezuela. It has been reported that 920 people were killed, with that number likely to rise in the coming days as rescue and recovery efforts continue. In some neighborhoods in Caracas, the capital, entire buildings collapsed. People who were present when the earthquake struck reported the buildings violently shaking and the windows rattling.
Africa
Security forces in Kenya essentially placed the capital city Nairobi on lockdown in preparation for protests agains the African nation’s president William Ruto. Specifically, the military and police blocked highways and deployed across the city in an attempt to get ahead of and block the protests. Nairobi’s police chief said the security measures were taken to block criminals from entering the city.
Middle East
The Iranian military struck a container ship that was passing through the Strait of Hormuz, testing the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. It remains unclear if negotiations between Iran and the U.S. will be affected by the attack. The Iranian navy has warned ships wanting to cross through the Strait that they have to coordinate and get permission. Iran reportedly was frustrated that ships had been crossing through the Oman-controlled side of the Strait and decided to respond with a strike.
