The military government in Burkina Faso has officially dissolved every registered political party and indefinitely suspended all political activities nationwide. The decree impacts more than 100 parties across the spectrum and is justified as a measure to consolidate power and promote national unity during the ongoing transitional period. Security challenges from jihadist insurgencies continue to underpin the junta's rationale for tightening control over political organization. The chief problem with military coups resulting in military governments is you end up with people who have no idea what they're doing in charge. This is frankly one of the worst decisions we've seen and will have consequences that will be generational.

The World Food Programme has permanently suspended all operations in Houthi-held northern Yemen and terminated staff contracts in those areas due to persistent threats, harassment, and interference from rebel authorities. Ongoing security risks and direct intimidation have rendered aid delivery unsustainable in rebel-controlled regions, where millions remain dependent on humanitarian assistance. The decision marks a complete withdrawal from the north while limited operations may continue in government-held southern areas. Perhaps the rebels think they can consolidate control if the people recognize that they have no support outside of what they allow, but if they are unable to create conditions in which food is reliably available, I'm unsure what this will create other than a tremendous amount of uncertainty and suffering.

Intense fighting has resumed between federal government troops and Tigrayan rebel forces in northern Ethiopia, particularly in contested areas of western Tigray, sparking widespread fears of a return to large-scale civil war. The African Union has expressed deep concern over the rapid escalation and called for immediate restraint from both sides. Ethiopia's national carrier has canceled all flights to the Tigray region amid deteriorating security, further isolating communities already strained by previous conflict. The situation in Ethiopia was never actually resolved; rebel forces were suppressed, creating the illusion of peace, but something like this re-escalation was bound to happen. In our opinion, the federal government of Ethiopia is only projecting strength but is disorganized and ineffective, making it possible for these types of rebellions to pose meaningful threats to its ambition to dominate the country.

The Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces have signed a truce that establishes an immediate ceasefire and outlines a gradual integration of SDF fighters into national military and administrative structures. The agreement concludes recent clashes in northeastern Syria and provides a roadmap for restoring central authority over Kurdish-held territories. Implementation will occur in phases, with confidence-building measures to ensure long-term stability in the region. This fight has been ongoing for quite some time now, so hopefully this brings some stability in the region.

President Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and Treasury Department, accusing officials of illegally leaking confidential tax return information to the public. The complaint alleges severe privacy violations and deliberate misconduct that caused substantial personal and reputational harm. Damages sought include compensatory awards for breach of federal confidentiality laws as well as punitive measures to deter future disclosures. If this is the case, as it appears to be, then Trump seems to be in a strong position in relation to this lawsuit. Increasingly, we see people so fervent in their dislike for the president that they forego established rules to try to undermine his ability to become or remain the president. If people want Trump gone, they have to find ways to do it that don't strengthen his narrative that there's a shadowy cabal of individuals who are going outside the bounds of the law to defeat him.

Panama's supreme court has declared that the operating contracts held by a Hong Kong-based company for ports at both entrances to the Panama Canal are unconstitutional. Importantly, the ruling effectively terminates Chinese-linked control over these critical facilities. The ruling cites national sovereignty concerns and constitutional violations in the original concession agreements granted to CK Hutchison. The decision opens competition for new operators, but more importantly, it bolsters broader U.S. efforts to reduce Chinese influence over strategic global infrastructure.

The U.S. administration has issued warnings of secondary tariffs against any country continuing to sell or ship oil to Cuba, targeting ongoing energy support for the island's government. Mexico, a primary supplier, is actively pursuing high-level diplomatic negotiations to avert sanctions while maintaining its trade relations. The policy aims to intensify economic pressure on Havana by disrupting fuel imports essential to Cuba's power grid and transportation. Cuba cannot sustain this level of economic pressure, and with many of the countries that typically support its efforts to resist U.S. aggression having their hands full, this may be the moment the fiery island nation buckles and yields to U.S. demands.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has submitted a formal civil rights complaint accusing Dr. Mehmet Oz of directing Medicare hospice fraud schemes that disproportionately exploited elderly Armenian-American patients. Promotional materials and enrollment practices are alleged to have specifically targeted vulnerable communities through deceptive claims and discriminatory outreach. The action escalates tensions between California officials and the Trump administration, where Oz holds a senior health policy role. This is lawfare at its finest, and if Oz is guilty of these crimes, it is best he's held accountable. If Newsom is wasting state resources to ensnare his political opponents in legal battles, he should be held accountable by the electorate.

Several Denver metropolitan school districts, including Aurora Public Schools, have fully canceled classes due to expected mass staff absences linked to a coordinated national day of action against ICE enforcement operations. Educators and support personnel are participating in protests calling for an immediate halt to immigration raids and deportations. The closures affect tens of thousands of students and reflect broader labor solidarity with immigrant communities facing heightened federal activity. This perhaps reveals how widespread the shared politics are amongst educators in highly Democratic areas like Denver. In our opinion, the fault line that is perhaps most instructive of political sentiment will come to be college education, as we will see very distinct politics from those with ties to higher education and those without them.

New Mexico's lawsuit against Meta will proceed to full trial after courts rejected dismissal motions, focusing on allegations that Facebook and Instagram algorithms and features actively enable child sexual exploitation and predatory contact. State investigators claim inadequate moderation and profit-driven design choices allow groomers and traffickers to target minors with impunity. Evidence includes internal company documents showing awareness of widespread harm to underage users on the platforms. This is a huge case, as if New Mexico is right, this will have tremendous implications for how social media sites operate. Again, we stand in full support of reducing harm to children, but remain wary about the prospects of access to the internet being conditional on some type of identity verification scheme. Perhaps though that's the only way to ensure one is just as accountable for behavior on the internet as you are in the real world.

California's Chief Justice has issued a strong public statement affirming that state courtrooms must remain fully open and accessible to all individuals, regardless of immigration enforcement operations nearby. Increased ICE presence around courthouses has deterred witnesses, defendants, victims, and families from attending proceedings, undermining due process. The guidance reinforces protections against federal arrests on court grounds and calls for cooperation to preserve public trust in the judicial system. The judge is correct in this regard, but it seems to us that the only way to make that dynamic possible is for officials in California to be cooperative with the federal government, as that will allow things like court proceedings to occur in an orderly fashion.