DRAFT

May 21, 2026
U.S. Indicts Raul Castro over Dissident Aircraft Downing

Trump administration on May 20, 2026 indicted Former Cuban President Raul Castro in the 1996 downing of two planes flown by a Miami-based exile group, Brothers to the Rescue. Raul Castro was the defense minister when Cuban MiG-29 fighter jets launched missile strikes on two Cessna planes north of Havana, outside the Cuban airspace, killing all four occupants of the two small planes. The charges are related to destroying the planes and killing their four occupants on February 24, 1996. 

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rebutted the indictment on an X post, defending the downing as "legitimate self-defense".

ASIA III

CHINA

Days after Trump's Visit, Putin Scores Big Victory with His Own Larger-than-life China Visit

Days after President Donald Trump's much trumpeted visit to China which turned out to be the sub-optimal in outcome, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China. The Associated Press on May 20, 2026 reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had overseen at least 40 trade and commercial agreements. Xi called the countries' ties having reached the highest level. According to Xinhua news agency, the bilateral trade stood at $228 billion in 2025. The Russian oil exports to China climbed by 35% in the first quarter of 2026. 

TAIWAN

Trump Yet to Make a Decision on Taiwan Aid Package

A day after hearing a stern message from his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump on the penultimate day, May 15, 2026, of his three-day [May 13-15, 2026] China trip said that he had yet to make up his mind whether to go ahead with the $11.5 billion weapons package that the U.S. government had announced with much fanfare on December 18, 2025. 

However, Trump administration officials are not talking in unison as far as Taiwan vis-a-vis China policy is concerned as the administration's top diplomat, Marco Rubio, has told the NBC News that U.S. policy remains unchanged and it will be a mistake for Beijing to forcibly take over Taiwan. 

ISRAEL II

Netanyahu Reported to Have Secretly Visited UAE in the Midst of War
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on May 13, 2026 acknowledged that the prime minister had secretly visited UAE and met with President Sheikh Mohmad bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the midst of the Israeli-U.S. war with Iran. The revelation by the PMO came a day after U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that Israel had offered Iron Dome defense technology and personnel to UAE to defend against incoming Iranian missiles and drones. 

Israel Kills the Last of Surviving Hamas Architects of Oct 7 Attack

Israel carried out airstrikes to kill Izz al-Din al-Haddad, commander of Hamas' military wing, one of the last surviving members of the leadership structure that had planned, organized and executed the October 7, 2023, audacious attack on Israel. Hamas on May 16, 2026 confirmed al-Haddad's death. It added that the May 15, 2026, Israeli attack killed, in addition to Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the wife and daughter of the Qassam Brigades' commander. 

Emerging MOU Troubling, Israeli Opposition Leader Says

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on May 25, 2026 has called the emerging Memorandum Of Understanding, or MOU, "disturbing" as the potential U.S. deal with Iran doesn't enhance several Israeli strategic objectives. Lapid accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of losing out both credibility and leverage with Trump administration. Lapid said that the waning influence of Bibi was so stark that his far-right government couldn't even muster courage to protest what Trump said last week that "Netanyahu will do whatever I ask him to do". Lapid, a prime minister for a brief stint in 2022, reiterated that "Israel is a sovereign state, we are not a vassal state". 

In the run-up to the October 2026 parliamentary election, Yair Lapid, one of the few Israeli public figures who supports independent Palestinian state, has merged his "Yesh Atid" party with Naftali Bennett's political party. 

Gaza Conflict Steps onto 1000th Day

Although a tenuous truce is hanging on balance, the international community is woken up with a grim milestone on July 2, 2026 as the day marked the 1000th day since the conflict had begun with the Hamas' October 7, 2023, audacious attack in southern Israel. The grim milestone is written on bloody statistics of over 73,000 deaths in the Gaza Strip.

FORMER SOVIET STATES--PART II

 
UKRAINE

Trump Announces Three-day Truce Around Victory Day Weekend

President Donald Trump on May 8, 2026 bragged about how he had brought Ukraine and Russia to agree to a three-day [May 9-11, 2026] truce that would herald in "beginning of the end" of the war. The U.S. president added that in addition to a three-day ceasefire, there would be exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kremlin Foreign Affairs Adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed the agreement. 

Meanwhile, in a derogatory manner, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 8, 2026 issued a decree, giving permission to the Kremlin to hold annual "Victory Day" parade at the Red Square and assuring that there won't be any attack on the Red Square during the most celebrated Russian secular holiday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov shrugged off Zelenskyy's proclamation, calling it a silly joke.

Russia Pummels 20 Regions of Ukraine with Hundreds of Drones

After a tenuous, three-day ceasefire [May 9-11, 2026] barely held with allegations and complaints of violations by both sides, Russia was alleged to have launched the largest barrage of daytime attacks on May 13, 2026, targeting 20 regions with more than 800 drones. At least six people were killed.

Russia's Largest Barrage Kills at least Two Dozens

Russia extended the May 13, 2026, streak of day attacks with one of the largest barrage of missile strikes on May 14, 2026 that had taken a heavy toll on Kyiv, flattening a nine-story residential apartment complex and destroying other structures. At least 24 people were reported killed. On May 15, 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led a shocked nation in mourning over the loss of so many lives. 

Belarus Opposition Leader Visits a Day After Russia's Biggest Spree of Missile Attacks

Russia on May 24, 2026 launched this year's biggest barrage of missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities that had killed at least two and injured more than 91. The largest barrage of missile strikes of the year came after the May 22, 2026, deadly Ukrainian drone attack on a dormitory at Starobilsk in the Russia-occupied Luhansk. Ukraine claimed that the attack targeted Russian military assets. The May 22, 2026, drone strike on the Luhansk dorm killed 21 and injured an additional 42 people. Russian Defense Ministry called the May 22, 2026, dorm attack as the "final straw". In response, Russia on May 24, 2026 launched largest missile attack on Ukraine, including the usage of hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile. 

On May 25, 2026, exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Kyiv as the emergency crewmembers were cleaning up the capital a day after Russia had launched the largest barrage of missile strikes of the year. The much touted visit came a day after May 24, 2026, phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, their first such talks since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. A terse statement was issued afterward by Belarusian president's office, clarifying that the call took place at the behest of French president and the discussion centered around the regional issues. 

Russian Barrage of Airstrikes Kill 22

Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles to pulverize Ukrainian regions overnight and stretching into late morning on June 2, 2026, killing 22 people and wounding 138 others. 

Ukrainian Drone Kills One in Russia

A Ukrainian drone killed one person in Krasnodar region in Russia, according to media reports on June 13, 2026. Ukraine's General Staff said that Ukrainian drones targeted Russian oil preparation and pumping station overnight. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the recent days that Ukrainian drones are penetrating deeper into Russian territory on regular basis. 

11 People Reported Dead after Trump Talks with Zelenskyy, Putin

On June 14, 2026, President Donald Trump held separate phone conversations with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. After arriving at Evan-Les-Baines to attend G7 summit, Trump told reporters on June 15, 2026 that since Iran agreement had been achieved now, there would be now more focus on ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

Overnight through June 15, 2026, Russia launched barrage of drones and missiles, targeting Kyiv and Kharkiv, among others that killed 11 people. 

Ukraine Opens EU Accession Talks

Ukraine on June 15, 2026 opened talks with EU officials to become member of the European Union. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka led Kyiv's delegation to the accession talks in Luxemburg. It will take years for Kyiv to formally become part of EU, but the June 15, 2026 marked a notable milestone as part of that long journey. 

Russian Strikes Kill 2 in Ukraine

Russian aerial attacks on Kharkiv killed one and wounded at least nine, authorities said on June 20, 2026. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekov said that a body had been extricated from the rubble in the city's Kholodnohirskiy district. Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said that at least nine were injured during the day's attack.

Later on June 20, 2026, Russia launched guided bombs on Sumy, killing one person. 

Zelenskyy Returns Poland's Highest Honor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on June 20, 2026 returned Poland's highest civilian honor, Order of the White Eagle, after Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Zelenskyy of the award after it came to be known that Kyiv had decided to name a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organization responsible for massacring Poles during the World War II. 

Largest Drone Attack in 2026 Target Energy Facilities in Russia 

Russian Defense Ministry said on June 26, 2026 that it had destroyed 660 Ukrainian drones overnight through the morning, eclipsing this year's previous record set on May 17, 2026: 556 drones. The largest drone barrage that targeted Russia's oil refineries, energy infrastructure and storage facilities came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on X a "40-day influence operation" to compel Russia to sit in negotiation with Kyiv. 

At least 47 Ukrainian drones were downed in Moscow area, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. 

21 People Killed in an 11-hour Barrage of Missile and Drone Attacks

That the very public announcement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to launch a "40-day influence operation" didn't sit well with the Kremlin became evident as Russia began to target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine in response to Kyiv's long-range drone attacks deep inside Russia and Crimea that had created the worst fuel crisis recent memory.

The latest intensified campaign came with an 11-hour barrage of drone and missile attacks on Kyiv overnight through the morning of July 2, 2026. At least 21 people were killed in the barrage which Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called a "night of horror". 

Russian President Dismisses Fuel Crisis

That the Ukrainian "long-range sanctions" operation involving drone strikes deep inside Russia that targeted oil and gas storage facilities, oil refineries and pipelines, reducing the fuel production almost by 17% to 850,000 barrels per day forced fuel rationing in several regions in recent days. The fuel shortage led to long lines at gas pumps and widespread discontent among people, according to various social media reports. 

However, the Kremlin is in denial mode. President Vladimir Putin on July 3, 2026 dismissed the fuel crisis as "non-critical" and having "absolutely no effect on the situation at the front" at a command post in an undisclosed location. Putin, wearing military fatigue, was at the frontline post to take stock of Russian army's reported conquest of Donetsk city of Kostyantynivka, significantly boosting the odds of capturing two nearby strategic cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.  

St. Peterburg's Oil Terminal Hit

A key oil terminal on the Baltic Sea at St. Petersburg was struck by a drone on July 4, 2026. The July 4, 2026, strike on the oil terminal in Kirovsky district of Russia's second-largest city is part of what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dubbed days ago as "long-range sanctions" and "40-day influence operation".

Regional Governor Alexander Beglov said that air defense system neutered 72 incoming drones. St. Peterburg's Kirovsky district was attacked before during Russia's economic and business showcase conference: St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. promoted by the Kremlin as an economic rival to West-hosted annual international economic forum at Davos. 

On July 4, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy challenged the Russian claim a day ago of having captured the strategic Donetsk city of Kostyantynivka, even teasing a meeting there with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

U.S. to Give Ukraine the License to Produce Patriot Missile Defense System

U.S. President Donald Trump on July 8, 2026 met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of NATO summit in Ankara. Trump announced that the U.S. would provide license to Ukraine to produce Patriot missile defense system.  

EUROPE II

GERMANY

Far-right German Party Elects Its Leaders

The national convention of the far-right, pro-Nazi political party, Alternative for Germany, or AfD, was held in the weekend (July 3, 2026 Friday weekend) at the German city of Erfrut. The current leaders of the party were re-elected, showing the broad unity. Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla won as co-leaders by receiving nearly 81% and 70%, respectively. 

G7 BLOC

******************* EVIAN-LES-BAINS SUMMIT (JUNE 15-17, 2026) *******************
Iran War Overshadows G-7 Summit

President Donald Trump on June 15, 2026 arrived at French Alpine resort of Evian-Les-Bains to attend the summit of industrialized world. This year's summit has a long shadow of Iran War cast as Iran and the U.S. has agreed to a deal a day ago (June 14, 2026) to end the war. French President Emmanuel Macron greeted President Trump on June 15, 2026. 

G-7 Summit Concludes with a Show of Support for U.S.-Iran Agreement to End Conflict

The three-day G-7 summit ended on June 17, 2026 as the pall of long shadow of the Iran-U.S. agreement fell on the rest of the summit's agenda items. 

******************* EVIAN-LES-BAINS SUMMIT (JUNE 15-17, 2026) *******************

NATO

********************* NATO Summit in Ankara (July 6-7, 2026)

Greenland Overshadows the Summit, Trump Lifts Arms Sanctions on Turkey

The Ankara summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is witnessing U.S. President Donald Trump's temper-tantrum as he, sitting beside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference in Ankara, has said that Greenland should be part of the USA. 

Also, Trump declared on July 7, 2026 that the U.S. would lift sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions, or CAATS, Act imposed on Turkey after Ankara had bought S-400 missiles from Russia in 2019. The S-400 transactions strained the relationship of two NATO allies. Removing the CAATS Act doesn't mean that Turkey will automatically be approved to buy American F-35 fighter jets. That requires approval from the U.S. State Department. Removal of the CAATS Act is a slap on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who personally appealed to Donald Trump not to make it easy for Turkey to participate in the F-35 weapons program. 

********************* NATO Summit in Ankara (July 6-7, 2026)

UNITED KINGDOM

British Defense Minister Resigns

That Premier Keir Starmer's government is facing headwind and turbulence is an understatement. Right now it's facing mini-rebellion over Former British ambassador's [to the U.S.] Jeffrey Epstein connection and what Starmer knew when he had appointed Peter Mendelson. Then came the Labor Party's electoral reverses in May 7, 2026, local polls.

On June 11, 2026, John Healy unexpectedly quit as defense minister, complaining that Starmer was reluctant to allocate enough in Defense spending in the face of multilateral threat. 

Greater Manchester Mayor's Win in Parliamentary By-poll Spells Trouble for Starmer

That Premier Keir Starmer will face more strident calls to quit is a matter of time as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, a rising Labor Party leader, has won decisively in a parliamentary by-election from Makerfield constituency. Burnham won the special election held on June 18, 2026 by securing 55% vote and edging past convincingly U.K. Reform Party candidate Rob Kenyon. 

Although Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to lead the Labor Party government, an intra-party challenge from Andy Burnham, who is ruling Greater Manchester since 2017, is likelier than ever.

Starmer Resigns after Internal Pressure

It is a long line of departures since the Brexit a decade ago. Six premiers stood outside the 10 Downing Street in the past 10 years to announce their untimely resignations. The last one was Keir Starmer who called it quits on June 22, 2026 after two years of leading the Labor government. Starmer faced calls for quitting after scandal erupted over Epstein File that implicated Former British Ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson. In addition, Starmer administration was not able to tame inflation, manage migration and improve the economic condition of blue collar working class people.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who won a special election last week, is poised to become the new premier. The popular leader is able to garner support from various factions of the Labor Party. 

President Donald Trump in a manner so uncharacteristic of the U.S. presidency wrote on the social media that Keir Starmer had "failed" in two main areas: immigration and energy because his administration had failed to open up North Sea for oil exploration. 

Starmer received plaudits, though, from other European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for steadfast support to Kyiv and steady foreign policy leadership. 

ENGLAND

Starmer Refuses to Resign after Heavy Losses in Local Polls

After significant losses in the May 7, 2026, local polls in which anti-immigrant U.K. Reform Party made inroads, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on May 8, 2026 that he won't resign, instead trying to pursue policies to help people. 

SCOTLAND

Ex-husband of Former Scottish Premier Pleads Guilty to Theft

One time they were Scotland's power couple. It's the story of Former Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, 61. Scottish National Party at one point of time became synonymous with the rising profile of the First Couple. After more than five years of investigation, Murrell on May 25, 2026 pleaded guilty to theft of 400,000 pounds to fund lavish lifestyle. Nicola Sturgeon said that she had been unaware of the embezzlement. 

VATICAN

Breakaway Church Defies Vatican, Consecrates Four Bishops in Defiance of Pope

The latest defiance shown by the Society of St. Pius X, or SSPX, came on July 1, 2026 as the group consecrated four bishops. The conservative group was founded by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1970 opposing the decisions of the Second Vatican Council in 1960s. The reforms promoted by the Vatican II eventually led to the redefining of the Catholic Church's relations with other religions as well as allowing the Mass to be celebrated in vernacular instead of Latin. 

On July 1, 2026, SSPX consecrated four bishops at its seminary in Econe, Switzerland in front of 15,000 attendees and their children. Earlier in the week, Pope Leo urged the group not to hold the consecration ceremony for the sake of the Church's unity. Despite Papal call for desisting from the consecration ceremony, the group was defiant and went ahead with a rituals-filled five-hour ceremony. That had sapped all the patience of Vatican. 

On July 2, 2026, Vatican announced that SSPX had performed "schismatic acts" and excommunicated its bishops and priests and warned its faithful not to attend its masses. However, this is not the first excommunication of the order. After the order's founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, consecrated four bishops in 1988, the order was excommunicated. Pope Benedict XVI restored the order as part of the Catholic Church in 2009. However, the relationship between SSPX and Vatican started to sour after the death of Pope Benedict XVI. 

Papal Focus on the eve of America's Semi-quincentennial Birthday: Recommit to Founding Ideals

On the eve of the U.S.' 250th Independence Day, Pope Leo XIV addressed the National Constitution Center [via video call] on July 3, 2026, urging Americans to recommit to the founding principles of the Republic. Pope Leo XIV received this year's Liberty Medal from the Center. History's first pope from the America stressed on compassionate migrant policy and religious freedom, urging Americans to welcome newcomers. 

Pope Leo XIV will spend 4th of July this year in the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to underline Vatican's embrace of refugees and migrants. 

U.S. STATES AND NATION: Political Reports and News--PART II

 NATION

Gunman Killed by Secret Service

In the third incident of threat to the president in the last one month, a gunman on May 23, 2026 opened fire at a security checkpoint near the White House, leading to Secret Service personnel returning fire that killed the gunman, later identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best of Dundalk, Maryland. A bystander was seriously injured. 

On April 25, 2026, a California man, Cole Thomas Allen, charged into a Washington hotel during the White House Correspondents' Dinner event and Secret Service shot and injured a man who attacked them near Washington Monument earlier in May 2026. 

********************************* STUDENT LOANS ********************************

States Sue Trump Admin's New Student Loan Cap Rules

On April 30, 2026, Trump administration's Department of Education issued rules as called for by the provisions of One Big Beautiful Bill of July 2025, capping loans at $50,000 per year and total of $200,000 for professional degrees in law and medical schools and $20,500 and $100,000, respectively for the other programs. 

Democratic states--led by 23 Attorneys-General and Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Andy Beshear of Kentucky--Plus District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on May 19, 2026, arguing that the new rules were unconstitutional as they discriminated against medical technicians, nurses and other medical workers who were licensed professionals like doctors. 

Education Department Rewrites New Rules on Professional Degree Loans

After last week's ruling by U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell to reject Trump administration's rules to classify nursing, physical therapy and other fields outside the definition of "professional" degree program, Education Department on June 29, 2026 revised the rules to include those fields now under the "professional" degree program, thus qualifying the students in those fields to obtain higher loan amount. Education Undersecretary Nicholas Kent said that the revision was meant to be "temporary" to comply with the federal judge's ruling as the government was readying for filing an appeal. 

********************************* STUDENT LOANS ********************************

******************* TRUMP VS. E. JEAN CARROLL ************
Civil Trial against Trump Goes Underway, Victim’s Friend Testifies about Rape

As if there is no respite from the legal challenges, Former President Donald Trump is facing another lawsuit from columnist E. Jean Carroll, who in a 2019 memoire has accused the former president of raping her at a New York City department store in 1996. Trump, as usual, denied the episode altogether. After three days of testimony by Carroll, her writer friend Lisa Birnbach on May 2, 2023 testified that the rape and assault by Trump did happen in 1996 and her friend had called her to say what had happened in the Bergdorf Goodman store.

Trump Found Liable for Sexual Assault

A federal jury on May 9, 2023 convicted Former President Donald Trump on sexual assault of advice columnist E. Jean Carroll, 79, in 1996, and awarded $5 million to her. However, on the more serious count of rape, the jury acquitted Trump. After the verdict in the federal civil trial was read, Former President Donald Trump lashed out in the social medial, calling it another “witch hunt”. Defendant’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, is clearly happy that the jury has not determined Trump a “rapist”, but he is “perplexed” by the verdict. Plaintiff’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said that no one, not even the president, was above the law.

Trump Suffers Dual Legal Setbacks

On July 19, 2023, Former President Donald Trump suffered dual legal slamming. The first one was related to that a federal judge, U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, upholding a $5 million jury award handed out in May 2023 in a case filed by E. Jean Carroll, an advice columnist, alleging Trump of raping her at a department store more than two decades ago. The second one was related to Trump team’s effort to move the hush money case from the state court to federal court.

Trump Dramatizes during Jury Selection in Second Rape Trial of Advice Columnist

After a big Iowa victory, Former President Donald Trump took a detour to stop by a Manhattan courtroom on January 16, 2024 for a jury selection and a session for spelling out the ground rules. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan told the prospective jurors that an earlier jury had already convicted the former president of raping advice columnist E. Jean Carroll years ago at an upscale department store and already handed $5 million in fines against Trump to be awarded to Carroll. This jury, according to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, should only determine if Trump owed any additional money for his damaging comment during his presidency in 2019. When the judge asked the courtroom whether anyone thought that there was any unfairness against anyone, former president slyly raised his hand. The advice columnist, E. Jean Carroll, is complaining that she has received death threats from Trump’s consiglieres and apparatchiks, who are also trying to ennoble the insurrectionists as patriots. Nine jurors will hear the case beginning this week.

E. Jean Carroll: Jury Returns a Second Fine against Trump

In the second civil trial in nine months against Former President Donald Trump in the defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll, a jury on January 26, 2024 awarded $83.5 million to the former advice columnist who had accused the former president of sexually assaulting her in a 1996 encounter at the Bergdorf Goodman store in the Fifth Avenue. A separate jury in May 2023 awarded an additional $5 million to Carroll, but cleared the former president of rape charge. The presumptive Republican frontrunner was in the New York City court for couple of hours, but left before the verdict was delivered. Later in a statement, he accused “our legal system” of being “out of control” and slammed the $83.5 million fine “absolutely ridiculous".

Trump, Advice Columnist Seat 15 feet from Each Other at Courtroom

Former President Donald Trump’s lawyer D. John Sauer on September 6, 2024 argued at the 2^nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the May 9, 2023, $5 million verdict against the former president was riddled with “implausible allegations being propped up by highly inflammatory, inadmissible” evidence by advice columnist E. Jean Carroll’s legal team.

E. Jean Carroll’s attorney Roberta Kaplan countered Trump team’s argument, adding that her client had brought the case because the defendant “had sexually assaulted her in 1996, in a dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, and then defamed her in 2022 by claiming” that she was crazy, and had made this whole thing up. Former President Donald Trump was present at the courtroom and seated about 15 feet from where his accuser was seated.

Appeals Court Upholds the $83.3 million Verdict

In a severe rebuke to President Donald Trump, a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on September 8, 2025 upheld the $83.3 million verdict against the president. The appeals court rejected Trump's request to dismiss the fines and for a retrial, opining the verdict [of $83.3 million in damages] was based on "fair and reasonable" trial. 

U.S. Supreme Court Refuses to Intervene in Jean Carroll Case

In a setback to President Donald Trump, U.S. Supreme Court on June 29, 2026 unanimously refused to accept President Donald Trump's appeal against a $5 million award handed by a jury to columnist E. Jean Carroll in a sexual assault case alleged to have taken place in 1996 inside a department chain store in New York City . 

Appeal to the apex court related to an additional $83.3 million in fine handed by a separate jury is pending. 

******************* TRUMP VS. E. JEAN CARROLL ************

CALIFORNIA

Newsom Says DOJ Investigating California's First Couple

Governor Gavin Newsom on June 15, 2026 said that Trump administration's Department of Justice was investigating him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The federal investigators are knocking on their friends' doors in order to find a crime, according to the potential 2028 Democratic presidential nominee. 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Court Blocks Harsh Crackdown on Immigrants from 39 Countries

U.S. District Chief Judge John McConnel Jr. on June 5, 2026 blocked Trump administration's order in the aftermath of last Thanksgiving shooting in the District of Columbia that made migrants from 39 nations persona non grata. 

TEXAS

Plano to Use TIRZ to Pay for $700 million from Bond Backed by TIRZ Revenue

The Dallas Morning News has reported in its June 15, 2026, edition how the city of Plano is planning to invest its $700 million in the $3 billion Stars arena and surrounding mixed-use community. Plano is planning to fund by bond backed by TIRZ revenue. A Tax Increment Refinancing Zone, or TIRZ, model freezes the value to the ground. Any increase in property tax or sales tax revenue will be reinvested in that area. With TIRZ model, Plano doesn't need to increase property tax for residents. They can repay $700 million over time using the TIRZ revenue as the property tax base and sales tax base increase over time for roughly 900 acres. 

 

*********** TEN COMMANDMENT DISPLAY IN THE CLASSROOMS (SB10) ************

Families File Lawsuit over The Decalogue Display in the Classroom

15 multifaith families filed lawsuit against 14 school districts, including many in North Texas, over the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, The Dallas Morning News reported in its September 23, 2025, edition.  

The lawsuit comes on the heels of a similar suit that had led to a federal judge issuing verdict in August 2025 that the display of the Ten Commandments, required by the Senate Bill 10 passed in this year's legislative session, did expressly show favoritism in favor of Christianity and did have all the appearance of "coercion" to the non-Christian students. 

The Decalogue Setback to Lone Star State, Paxton Sues a Pair of ISDs for not Following SB10

A federal judge on November 18, 2025 temporarily blocked the public display of Ten Commandments in the Texas classrooms as mandated by the Senate Bill 10. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia of the Western District of Texas in San Antonio has ruled that the plaintiffs are likely to prevail on the ground of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, which prohibits the state from establishing a religion and ensures separation between the state and the church. 

In a separate, but related, ruling in August 2025, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery of the Western District of Texas in San Antonio temporarily prohibited 11 school districts, including Plano Independent School District, from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms. 

The plaintiffs in the November 18, 2025, case include 14 school districts, among them many are North Texas school districts such as Fort Worth, Arlington, McKinney, Frisco, Azle, Northwest, Rockwall, Lovejoy and Mansfield. 

On the same day as U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia issued TRO [temporary restraint order] relief against display of the Ten Commandments in the classrooms of 14 ISDs, Attorney-General Ken Paxton chose to sue Leander ISD and Round Rock ISD for flouting the Senate Bill 10, days after he took the Galveston ISD to the court early this month for the same reason. 

Appeals Court Rules in Favor of State's Ten Commandment Display Law

Nation's most conservative appeals court, Fifth U.S. Court of Appeals, on April 21, 2026 in a split opinion overturned the lower court ruling on Texas law requiring Ten Commandment display in each public-school classroom. Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan upheld the state law, adding that the law "does not transform the poster into a summon to prayer". 

Paxton Asks Proof of Classroom Display of Ten Commandment from 29 ISDs

Texas Attorney-General Ken Paxton wrote a letter on May 7, 2026, asking proof from 29 school districts, including three from North Texas, that they were complying with the Senate Bill 10 and Senate Bill 11. Governor Gregg Abbott signed the bills passed in 2025 in the preceding legislative session. 

Senate Bill 10 calls for displaying copies of donated Ten Commandment in classrooms, while the Senate Bill 11 requires school boards to hold votes on, not necessarily to approve for, accommodating time for students for  prayer or reading religious texts. Three North Texas school districts are Dallas, Fort Worth and Plano. Paxton threatened to bring lawsuits if satisfactory responses were not sent by the ISDs in due time. Paxton's flurry of lawsuits and investigations increases in the run-up to the May 26, 2026, Senate primary runoff against seating Senator John Cornyn. 

*********** TEN COMMANDMENT DISPLAY IN THE CLASSROOMS (SB10) ************

**********************2023 SENATE BILL 4 

Appeals Court Upholds State Deportation Measure

A three-judge panel of the Fifth U.S. Court of Appeals on May 29, 2026 blocked a lower court ruling to suspend the implementation of the Texas Senate Bill 4. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra blocked parts of the S.B. 4, passed by Texas legislature and signed by Governor Gregg Abbott in 2023 in response to Former President Joe Biden's lack of border control and enforcement. With Donald Trump in the White House now, the 2023 Texas S.B. 4 is redundant. 

2023 Senate Bill 4: State and local police to enforce immigration laws and detain undocumented immigrants and state judges empowered to order such undocumented immigrants to return to the countries that they have come from

Ezra's rationale for blocking the Senate Bill 4 was that the U.S. "must regulate immigration with one voice". 

**********************2023 SENATE BILL 4 

Texas Students Improve in the Latest STAAR Results

The State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, end-of-course exams results for high school students for the academic year of 2025-26 were published on June 10, 2026. The state performance and DISD performance this year are better than last year's performances for Algebra I, Biology, English I, English II and the U.S. History. 

For the state of Texas, the percentage of students who have performed on grade level is as follows for each of the end-of-course exams:

* Algebra I : 54% (2025-2026) compared to 47% (2024-2025)

* Biology : 71% (2025-2026) compared to 62% (2024-2025)

* English I : 55% (2025-2026) compared to 51% (2024-2025)

* English II : 60% (2025-2026) compared to 56% (2024-2025)

* US History : 70% (2025-2026) compared to 68% (2024-2025)