Explosions in Delhi and Islamabad have killed at least 20 people and injured dozens more. Pakistan’s Prime Minister accused India of backing terrorist proxies and blamed them for the Islamabad suicide attack outside a courthouse, while India denied the allegations as baseless and vowed to hunt down those responsible for the Delhi car blast near the Red Fort. These countries have had serious conflicts in recent memory, and hopefully cooler heads will prevail, as it could very well be the case that there was no formal government involvement in these terrorist attacks, but for better or worse, only time and investigations can tell us that.

Turkish prosecutors accused Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of leading a criminal organization involving 402 suspects in corruption, bribery, money laundering, and fraud, causing 160 billion lira in state losses over 10 years. The requested sentence exceeds 2,000 years, potentially up to 2,430 years, in a case many see as politically motivated to sideline Erdogan’s main rival ahead of 2028 elections. Imamoglu, detained since March on related charges including espionage and diploma forgery, denies wrongdoing along with his CHP party, which faces a potential shutdown for alleged illicit financing. The indictment relies on financial investigations, digital evidence, and claims of a secret municipal fund for coerced bribes. Opposition leaders called the case a coup and an attack on democracy, amid a broader crackdown on critics that could lead to a government trustee taking over Istanbul’s municipality. We try to highlight incidents of severe repression in part because we think it can help the American citizen understand what real repression looks like, as there are plenty of talking heads selling wolf tickets regarding the creep of authoritarianism and fascism in the United States.

A de facto partition of Gaza is emerging along a yellow line of cement blocks, with Israel controlling 53% of the territory including key areas like Rafah and parts of Gaza City. Trump’s ceasefire plan from October 10 has stalled due to Hamas refusing to disarm and Israel’s opposition to Palestinian Authority involvement, limiting reconstruction to Israeli-held zones. The U.S. is exploring a temporary base near Gaza for 10,000 personnel from other countries to monitor the ceasefire, along with housing compounds for screened Palestinians in IDF-controlled areas, though opposed by European and Arab nations. Israel has fortified its zone with outposts and asphalt, pledging no re-occupation but maintaining a buffer, while far-right ministers push to increase Israeli settlements. Hamas has reasserted control in its areas by providing security and clearing paths, offering to hand power to a technocratic entity and decommission weapons under supervision. The Gulf states have refused the option to take $70 billion in reconstruction funds as they demand funds come with the condition of a path to Palestinian statehood. It is ironic in the most tragic sense that after all this violence and chaos, it appears we are nearly back where we started, with the only resolution being a U.S. military presence meant to keep the two warring sides apart from one another.

The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group, with over 4,000 sailors and dozens of aircraft, has entered the Caribbean, which means now there are over 15,000 military personnel in the region. This deployment, purportedly ordered to counter narco-terrorism and transnational crime, includes destroyers and aims to disrupt drug trafficking, amid considerations to oust Venezuelan President Maduro through potential strikes on military units or oil fields. Venezuela has responded with massive deployments of land, sea, air, and missile forces, accusing the U.S. of fabricating a war. U.S. strikes on suspected drug boats since September have killed 76 people. The buildup, the largest since 1989, represents the worst impulses of U.S. foreign policy, as the American leadership has decided the best way to combat cartels is to seemingly go to war with countries in Latin America and depose the regimes which enable their dominance.

The stopgap funding bill passed the Senate 60-40 to restore services through fiscal year 2026, including SNAP and WIC programs, but excludes extensions for expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. It now awaits a House vote, where GOP leaders seek quick passage with potential Trump support, amid Democratic opposition over health care costs. This shutdown has been the longest in history and has caused over 800 flight cancellations daily due to air traffic control shortages and disrupted SNAP benefits variably across states. Internal Democratic frustrations led to calls for leadership changes, highlighting party disunity. Perhaps this is the breaking point for Democratic unity, which has been a sight to behold amid serious frustration amongst the public that the federal government has remained closed for over a month.

The Supreme Court is reviewing whether the USDA must release full SNAP benefits from a $5.3 billion contingency fund during the shutdown, affecting 42 million recipients. Lower courts ordered partial or full funding, but the administration argues courts lack authority to reallocate resources, leading to a temporary stay and varying state distributions. For the National Guard, 300 members were deployed to Chicago in October for immigration enforcement amid violence, based on inability to execute laws with “regular forces.” Illinois and Chicago challenge the move, interpreting “regular forces” as the standing military, with lower courts blocking it for failing legal criteria. The administration seeks deference to presidential authority, emphasizing Guard suitability for de-escalation over military use. From our perspective, it does appear that the court will side with the government in both cases.

Tennessee’s Secretary of State directed public libraries across multiple counties to review all juvenile and teen books for compliance with age-appropriateness laws and a federal executive order on gender ideology. Non-compliance could result in a loss of state and federal funding, including grants, prompting emergency library closures and concerns over hundreds of titles, many with LGBTQ themes. The directive addresses content like books featuring cross-dressing, viewed as inconsistent with community values and laws. Library staff described it as an attack on intellectual freedom and inclusivity, linking it to prior school book removals under updated state acts. We try to highlight the policy impact of the culture wars, and this serves as another great example of what can go awry when lawmakers are too eager to show their cultural allegiance to think about the chilling effects policies may have on other values like free speech and free expression. It is worth noting, though, that some materials are not appropriate for children.

The Senate-passed funding bill includes a provision banning hemp products with over 0.4 milligrams of THC per container, threatening to eliminate all CBD items despite state safeguards. This could decimate Kentucky’s $300 million hemp industry, criminalizing farmers and businesses built since the 2018 Farm Bill. One senator supports the measure to protect children from intoxicating products and close loopholes, preserving industrial uses like fiber and seed. Another opposes it as ignorant overreach preempting state laws, with an amendment to remove it failing 76-24. Critics argue it insults those rebuilding the industry and ignores existing age restrictions, testing, and labeling. Implementation is delayed one year, with hopes for fixes in future legislation. The entire panic over plants is absurd, and to regulate in such a heavy-handed fashion is clearly a mistake.

Incumbent Mitch Colvin won Fayetteville’s mayoral election with 60% of the vote, securing a fifth term focused on public safety, housing, and job creation. Vi Lyles won Charlotte’s race with 70%, marking her fifth term amid safety concerns following a train stabbing, emphasizing enhanced transit security. While the elections highlight Democratic strength in North Carolina’s urban areas, it is truly time we have a serious discussion about term limits at every level of American government. Two mayors having 10 terms between them is patently on its face an absurdity.

The Memphis Safe Task Force located and safely returned 101 missing children over the past 40 days. Collaborating with U.S. Marshals and local authorities, the task force used fugitive hunting skills to resolve cases. Efforts also cleared over 1,000 warrants and removed 389 illegal guns. Investigations into the children’s cases continue. We continue to pose the question to the anti-federal intervention crowd: if addressing these problems doesn’t count as an emergency, what does?