A WEEK IN BRIEF
A Week in Brief: Volume XIX
A Week in Brief: Sunday, 21 August to Saturday, 27 August 2022

Saturday, 27 August 2022…
Armed Conflicts and Attacks…
The Libyan crisis, in the aftermath of the Second Libyan Civil War, continues. Fighting, on Saturday, 27 August 2022, breaks out between two militias in Tripoli, Libya. The incident sees at least thirteen civilians killed and more than ninety-five individuals injured.
Law and Crime…
Lawyers for WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, after UK Home Secretary Priti Patel approved his extradition from the United Kingdom, file an appeal against his extradition to the U.S.
Relating to the same case, also on Saturday, 27 August 2022, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet met with Assange’s lawyers and his wife in Geneva, Switzerland.
Politics and Elections…
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, on Saturday, 27 August 2022, revealed that Facebook restricted posts about the Hunter Biden laptop controversy during the 2020 United States presidential election after receiving misinformation warnings from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Friday, 26 August 2022…
Armed Conflicts and Attacks…
Russia’s Southern Ukraine campaign doesn’t look like it is slowing down anytime soon. Ukrainian officials, on Friday, 26 August 2022, revealed the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been reconnected to the power grid after suffering a massive power failure. Russian shelling, the cause of the power failure, left considerable damage to the facility.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, a traffic police deputy chief was killed by a bombing in the Russian-occupied city of Berdiansk. Russian forces consider Berdiansk, situated in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, is a prime. Russian authorities, without any substantive evidence, accuse the Ukrainian forces of responsibility.
International Relations…
More news pertaining to Russia, focusing on international relations, revolves around peacekeepers having been withdrawn from Lachin. Zabukh and Sus, two villages, also saw peacekeepers withdrawn. The Lachin corridor is returned to Azerbaijan.
Law and Crime…
Police, on Friday, 26 August 2022, arrested several protestors. The protestors, committing acts of vandalism, were participating in the Just Stop Oil protest and blockade in London.
Thursday, 25 August 2022…
Armed Conflicts and Attacks…
Russia’s Southern Ukraine campaign, on Thursday, 25 August 2022, continued. Ukrainian officials accuse Russian forces of disconnecting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from its power grid. This comes after shelling near the Russian-occupied plant caused several fires.
Security systems at the plant, for a brief period, were activated shortly after the power failure.
Law and Crime…
Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban central spokesperson, announced on Thursday, 25 August 2022 that the government has not yet recovered the body of former emir of al-Qaeda Ayman al-Zawahiri who was killed in a United States drone strike at his residence in Kabul on Sunday, 31 July 2022.
Politics and Elections…
The electoral commission, referencing the 2022 Angolan general election, announced that President João Lourenço’s MPLA has won the general election.
Wednesday, 24 August 2022…
Armed Conflicts and Attacks…
With no signs of changing course, on Wednesday, 24 August 2022, The Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast continues. The occupation, ever since it started, has not gone without incident.
Ivan Sushko, the Russian-appointed head of Mykhailivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, was today assassinated in a car bombing. Someone should have told Sushko that the position was temporary.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, at least 22 people are known to have been killed after Russian forces targetted a Chaplyne passenger train. Fifty other individuals were injured in the attack.
Law and Crime…
Russian censorship, since President Vladimir Putin sent his forces into Ukraine, have reached ridiculousness. How ridiculous can the situation get?
Police, on Wednesday, 24 August 2022, arrested Yevgeny Roizman. Roizman, the former mayor of Yekaterinburg, has been critical of the Kremlin. Consequently, because of this, Roizman is a metaphorical thorn in Putin’s side.
The truth is obviously something Putin finds distasteful. Roizman was arrested for “discrediting the Russian army” by criticizing the invasion of Ukraine.
Politics and Elections…
The Constitutional Court of Thailand temporarily suspends Prayut Chan-o-cha’s premiership due to a case filed by Pheu Thai Party lawmakers over whether the eight-year term limit for premiership should also include Prayut’s time as the leader of National Council for Peace and Order. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan will take over the premiership while the case is being heard.
Tuesday, 23 August 2022…
Health and Environment…
Due to the world’s lowest birth rate and more deaths, on Tuesday, 23 August 2022, South Korea registers a population fall for a second consecutive year.
Law and Crime…
The Federal Court of Malaysia upholds the corruption conviction and 12-year prison term of former prime minister Najib Razak in connection with the embezzlement of sovereign wealth funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad. Najib is the first former Malaysian prime minister to be imprisoned.
Politics and Elections…
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, on Tuesday, 23 August 2022, announced an official inquiry into Scott Morrison’s conduct. Morrison, Albanese’s predecessor, secretly gave himself various ministerial positions during his second ministry on top of being prime minister.
Monday, 22 August 2022…
Health and Environment…
Schools in the Philippines, on Monday, 22 August 2022, reopened for in-person classes after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
International Relations…
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, on Monday, 22 August 2022, visited Taiwan and meets with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. The purpose of Holcomb’s visit to the self-governing island is unknown.
It was only a matter of time before the Republican Party had one of their people visit Taiwan. Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Sarah Bianchi met with Taiwanese minister John Deng on Thursday, 18 August 2022.
Previously, having curiously not gone unnoticed by the Chinese government, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday, 2 August 2022 for a meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. Pelosi is the most senior U.S. official to visit the self-governing island since Newt Gingrich in 1997.
Law and Crime…
The Pakistani Police file terrorism charges against the country’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan, for many years, was considered a legend for his contribution to Cricket.
Sunday, 21 August 2022…
Armed Conflicts and Attacks…
Oleksandr Nakonechny, on Sunday, 21 August 2022, was discovered dead in his apartment. Nakonechny, the regional head of the Security Service of Ukraine in Kirovohrad Oblast, had been shot and killed.
Health and Environment…
It was reported on Sunday, 21 August 2022 that Fumio Kishida, Japan’s Prime Minister, tested positive for COVID-19.
Kishida is not the first world leader to have contracted COVID-19. Royalty isn’t immune to the virus. Queen Elizabeth II, who was then 95 years old, tested positive for COVID in February 2020.
Eswatini Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini, four weeks after testing positive, died at the age of 52 in December 2020. Dlamini had been hospitalised in neighboring South Africa. Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Jair Bolsonaro, respectively the presidents of Algeria and Brazil, tested positive in 2020.
Both US President Joe Biden and now former US President Donald Trump are known to have contracted COVID-19. Biden, in July 2022, tested positive for the virus. The current US president, 79 years old, is the oldest person ever to serve as president of the United States. Trump, who was then 74 years old, announced his condition in October 2020.
Other world leaders to have contracted COVID-19 include Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Giammattei’s President Alejandro Giammattei, and Honduras’ President Juan Orlando Hernandez.
Law and Crime…
Darya Dugina, the daughter of Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin, dies in a car bombing intended for her father. Dugin is frequently referenced as “Putin’s philosopher”.
