Péter Magyar’s Tisza party achieved a landslide victory in Hungary’s parliamentary elections, winning a constitutional supermajority with 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament to Fidesz’s 55 seats after record 79.5 percent voter turnout. Viktor Orbán conceded the clear but painful defeat after 16 years in power, while Magyar pledged anti-corruption reforms, constitutional limits on prime ministers, judicial independence, and closer ties with the EU and Ukraine to unlock frozen funds. U.S. Vice President JD Vance had campaigned for Orbán in Budapest days earlier alongside Trump’s endorsement, yet international leaders from the EU, Ukraine, Poland, and beyond welcomed the outcome as a boost for democracy. Orbán was a strongman and dictator; however, he represented an alternative position to increased EU dominance in the region. The region will become quite different in the wake of this election.

The United States is implementing a naval blockade on all vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports while permitting neutral transit through the Strait of Hormuz after failed peace talks and amid a fragile ceasefire in the Iran conflict. Brent crude oil prices climbed more than 7 percent to over $102 per barrel, with roughly 20 percent of global oil passing through the strait. The UK declined to join the blockade and is focusing on diplomatic efforts to keep navigation open. There are also ongoing fuel price protests by Irish hauliers and farmers that have caused traffic chaos and prompted government subsidies plus a threatened no-confidence vote. This blockade is a dangerous escalation and only puts the world further away from peace.

A Nigerian Air Force airstrike targeting suspected Islamist insurgents struck a busy marketplace in Jilli, Yobe state near the Borno border, with local residents, officials, and reports estimating 100 to 200 civilian deaths including children and many more injured. The military described the location as a terrorist logistics hub, confirmed some militants were killed, and has launched an investigation into the civilian casualties. The incident underscores ongoing challenges in the northeast conflict involving Boko Haram and ISWAP groups. This type of mistake by the Nigerian government is simply unacceptable; the government has to be able to rely on their intelligence or be much more targeted in their strikes.

A federal judge in Boston dismissed the Department of Justice lawsuit seeking Massachusetts statewide voter registration data, ruling the request failed to meet statutory requirements under the Civil Rights Act by lacking a proper statement of purpose and intended use. Massachusetts officials argued the demand appeared as an unjustified fishing expedition that threatened voter privacy. The decision marks the latest loss in the Trump administration’s series of similar voter roll data cases across states. I imagine this will lead towards further lawfare between the states and the administration. This is important but I don't think the issue will be resolved due to this ruling.

The Department of War has established the new Economic Defense Unit to integrate economic tools such as tariffs, trade policy, procurement, and finance directly into military strategy and national defense planning. Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg is overseeing the initiative, which recruits Wall Street expertise to counter adversaries’ economic influence. The unit received substantial funding for research, development, and coordination with private sector partners in the coming fiscal year. In some ways this makes sense, given economic fighting is such an important element of modern warfare.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced more than $1.1 billion in new funding dedicated to affordable housing initiatives across Native American tribal communities nationwide. The investment supports construction, modernization of existing units, safety improvements, and crime-prevention measures through block grants and targeted programs. This allocation addresses long-standing housing needs in indigenous areas with a focus on operational upgrades and community development. This is good news and hopefully the funding comes on terms that will actually put these communities in a position to thrive.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked his first 100 days by announcing the city’s first publicly owned grocery store at La Marqueta in East Harlem as the initial step in a plan for five city-run stores, one per borough. The initiative fulfills a campaign promise with a $30 million investment to provide lower prices on essential staples like eggs, bread, and milk amid rising food costs. Development will use the existing city-owned marketplace structure with the first location expected to open by the end of next year. This plan to have multiple city-owned groceries is a fascinating experiment in social policy. I'm skeptical that this will work and other recent attempts to do similar things have failed, but I'm excited to see how this pans out.

Massachusetts’ highest court ruled that Meta Platforms must defend against the state attorney general’s lawsuit alleging Instagram’s addictive design features harm youth mental health. The decision held that Section 230 immunity does not shield the company because claims focus on its own product design and conduct rather than third-party content. Officials emphasized growing evidence of the platforms’ negative impact on young users. Given the federal government's indifference, it seems that the fight against big tech's ability to sell an addiction will continue to happen at the state level.

Boston City Council defeated resolutions for independent audits of city finances and Boston Public Schools spending as the city confronts a reported $100 million budget shortfall. Mayor Michelle Wu defended her proposed $4.9 billion FY27 budget, which includes a 2 percent overall increase, health cost adjustments, a hiring freeze, some program cuts, and a 5.4 percent rise for schools despite staff reductions. Council members cited ongoing oversight concerns in rejecting the audit pushes.

Pittsburgh City Council unanimously approved legislation codifying the city’s longstanding policy of limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, including an explicit prohibition on 287(g) agreements that would deputize local police. The measures add accountability and oversight mechanisms while positioning Pittsburgh as a welcoming city for immigrants. Additional proposals regarding ICE access to city property were deferred for further legal review. Again, I support the council's right to establish this type of ruleset but the codification of this type of purposeful noncooperation makes it feel like things are being placed on a collision course.