Carlos Manzo, mayor of Uruapan in Michoacán, was shot seven times and killed during a Day of the Dead vigil despite security from 14 National Guard members, with the assailant killed at the scene and two others arrested. A city councillor and bodyguard were injured in the attack linked to rival criminal groups, highlighting cartel violence where Manzo, nicknamed “Mexican Bukele,” had criticized federal strategies, publicized mass graves, and vowed not to back down from threats. We highlight this story as a reminder of just how dominant organized criminal elements can become if left unchecked by the government.

Andrej Babis’ ANO party, victorious in the recent election, signed a coalition agreement with the Motorists and SPD parties to form a government by mid-December. The deal included a rejection of the EU’s Green Deal and euro adoption while also pledging tax cuts and an end to Ukraine aid. This strengthens eurosceptic positions, potentially clashing with EU policies on climate and migration, and aligns with allies like Viktor Orban amid concerns over NATO commitments and budget deficits. We remain inclined to think populist solutions are the best political response to the authoritarian creep taking place throughout the world.

The International Finance Corporation announced an expansion of local-currency lending and direct investments in African companies to attract global funds, partnering with banks and emphasizing market integration to shield from volatility. Initiatives include a $2.5 billion West and Central Africa platform blending concessional and commercial capital for energy access and risk mitigation, aiming to deepen local markets and mobilize private finance amid reduced aid. It is at this pivotal moment in the remaking of our economic system that all those interested in pursuing liberation must demand the adoption and allowance of locally entrenched cryptocurrencies.

President Trump recently designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern for religious freedom violations and threatened to cut all aid, warning of potential military intervention with “guns-a-blazing” to stop killings of Christians by Islamic terrorists like Boko Haram. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu rejected the claims as mischaracterizing the complex violence involving ethnic clashes and bandits affecting all faiths, while markets tumbled and bilateral relations faced strain amid calls for data-driven assessments. While there is a lot of nuance lost when people try to understand longstanding violence that is taking place across the world, one thing is clear: the Nigerian government is inept and must bring order to chaos if it does not wish to eventually be overrun with lawlessness.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the detailing of 48 military attorneys and 4 paralegals to Justice Department offices in Tennessee, Texas, and New Mexico to serve as special assistant U.S. attorneys amid surging immigration enforcement. This builds on approval for up to 600 military lawyers as temporary immigration judges, waiving some requirements to handle cases in border areas and support national priorities without straining military justice. We previously noted that this must be a stopgap measure to get things under control, but moreover, this signals just how overburdened the systems are that typically deal with immigration law.

A new poll shows 55% of Americans expect political violence to increase following incidents like assassinations and threats, with 24% believing it can be justified in some cases and half seeing free speech under major threat. Concerns span partisanship, with Democrats more worried about press and voting rights while Republicans focus on gun rights, and younger adults less concerned overall amid hesitancy to share views publicly. Perhaps it is increasingly obvious to Americans that we have found ourselves at an inflection point, and the decisions made over the next, let’s say 18 months, will profoundly shape the trajectory of the American experiment.

In the current retention election, three Democratic justices (David Wecht, Christine Donohue, and Kevin Dougherty) face a yes-or-no vote that could end their 10-year terms and shift the 5-2 Democratic majority. Losing all three would create a 2-2 deadlock until 2027, leading to frequent ties, no statewide precedents, and reliance on lower courts, which Wecht called disastrous. This is a good reminder of how institutional safeguards like having an uneven amount of justices can be compromised when a situation like this occurs.

This week, officials began installing red bus-only lanes on Chestnut Street from Broad to 21st, Walnut Street from Broad to 19th, and Oregon Avenue from 5th to Front as part of repaving projects identified in the 2021 transit plan. Previous implementations reduced bus travel times by 12% and double-parking, with new AI camera enforcement issuing fines to improve reliability, safety, and traffic flow. Mass transit is one of the most critical things a city can provide, so it is nice to see SEPTA improving its services, although it still remains unclear if their funding is sustainable.

Mayor Michelle Wu recently delivered her inaugural State of the Schools address, highlighting improvements in bus arrivals, new buildings like Josiah Quincy Upper School, and higher test scores under Superintendent Mary Skipper since fall 2022. She pledged expansions in before-and-after school programs to all schools, the ‘Wicked Math’ initiative for tutoring, and partnerships for internships amid challenges like enrollment decline and potential federal funding cuts. We’ve never heard of a ‘state of the schools’ address given by a mayor, but it is an interesting approach and probably gives Boston residents hope that the city has a set of actionable plans to maintain and improve the schools in the area.

Early voting for the NYC mayoral election has ended and resulted in over 735,000 ballots being turned in, which is the highest ever for a nonpresidential race. Importantly, in an unusual turn of events, voters under 35 cast more than 100,000 votes in the election. Zohran Mamdani leads Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in the polls with proposals like rent freezes and free buses gaining tremendous traction amongst New Yorkers. There is a real tension for us in this election as we are happy to see the political imagination of New Yorkers being woken up with a meaningful alternative to run-of-the-mill milquetoast politics; however, at the same time, the set of policies Mamdani is advancing will spell economic and social doom for the biggest city in the country.