Greece will close 721 schools for the 2025-2026 academic year due to a severe demographic crisis, with 324 elementary schools and 358 kindergartens shutting down primarily because of insufficient enrollment due to a dramatic in the student population. Education officials have labeled the situation a demographic "Armageddon," attributing it to Greece's low fertility rate of 1.3 births per woman and the mass emigration of young families following the 2008 financial crisis. People are truly unaware and unprepared for how severe the consequences of the demographic crisis gripping developing nations throughout the world will be. It may be that until we feel the material consequences of this shift in worldwide birthrates the idea of a demographic cliff will remain too abstract for people to treat with the appropriate amount of urgency and concern. We will continue to cover stories which reflect the warning signals for the coming demographic crisis.

Primarily focusing on China, Indonesia, and Viet Nam, a recent World Bank report suggests there is a $1.7 trillion investment opportunity in Asia’s industrial sector. The report outlines a pathway to decarbonize manufacturing by 2050 through technologies like energy efficiency, electrification, carbon capture, and clean hydrogen, potentially cutting industrial emissions by 6 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually, though implementing such a plan is dependent on the concurrent development of technology in the electricity sector which produces clean power. As increasingly all markets in the world are liberated and open to consumerist habits, markets like those in East Asia and East Africa present some of the final opportunities for those with capital to position themselves as giants in an emerging market. Many have argued that we are entering, or have entered, the final stages of capitalist development and reports like this indicate that signals are pointing towards markets like East Asia as the last great opportunities to become a titan in manufacturing.

Belgium has announced its recognition of a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN general assembly and will impose 12 sanctions on Israel, including banning imports from settlements and designating certain ministers and settlers as persona non grata, in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza where over mostly civilians have been killed. Meanwhile, Israel is calling up tens of thousands of reserve military members for active duty in preparation for a new offensive in Gaza City. Unsurprisingly, the Israeli government is cracking under the pressure of internal divisions, as the country's leadership is becoming increasingly split on how to move forward with the conquest of Gaza City. Although Israel has already committed one of the great humanitarian atrocities of the 21st century, we here at Mituye hope this growing wave of external pressure and internal chaos allows the country to find a reason to simply halt its operation and find a path forward which doesn't require the genocide of the Palestinian people.

A judge ruled that the Trump administration's use of National Guard troops during Southern California immigration enforcement protests was illegal. The judge says the administration violated federal law by sending troops to accompany federal agents on immigration raids. California had sued, arguing that the deployment violated a law prohibiting military enforcement of domestic laws, though the judge did not require the remaining troops to be withdrawn. We again will argue that much of this lawfare can be avoided by local bodies cooperating with federal authorities to make the enforcement of federal policy orderly and discrete. Although the judge has declared these efforts unlawful, it remains highly likely that the administration will win an appeal, and perhaps more importantly, the back and forth serves as a reminder why we need to be able to governance in this country that is not constantly mired in questions of legitimacy that only the courts can answer.

The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Illinois for providing in-state tuition and scholarships to undocumented immigrant students, claiming it violates federal law by not extending the same benefits to all U.S. citizens. This legal action marks the first time the DOJ is targeting a Democratic state on this issue, setting up a potential conflict with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and follows a similar successful lawsuit in Texas. All throughout the Western world there seems to be growing frustration regarding the notion that those without citizenship are eligible for benefits that are not offered to the citizens of this country. Our fear here is that if these frustrations are continuously dismissed, especially by the elite classes, the frustration will spiral into something that will require serious intervention to rein in.

President Trump announced that the U.S. Space Command headquarters will be relocated from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Huntsville, Alabama, reversing a decision made during the Biden administration. The relocation could cost millions of dollars and take years to complete, with Colorado officials, including Attorney General Phil Weiser, have vowed to challenge the decision. This story is interesting not only because it highlights how tensions between the federal government and the states can manifest but because it highlights just how competitive the fight over federal resources can be amongst the states. This move feels petty and spiteful which serves the country poorly as we increasingly are watching what should be a unified system devolve into a partisan nightmare in which public officials seem to frame their opposition as an existential threat to the interest of their constituents.

Despite a national trend of mid-decade congressional redistricting driven by political motives, Pennsylvania officials, including Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, have no plans to redraw the state's congressional maps. The state's divided government and the requirement for both legislative chambers and the governor to agree on new maps make such changes unlikely, especially given Shapiro's public stance against it and the lack of action from state House and Senate leaders. This is a useful reminder of why relatively split government actually routinely serves the interests of constituents. Due to the current tension amongst Pennsylvania residents about how the state leans in a partisan sense, they are unable to engage in the silly partisan jockeying that is currently underway in states that are dominated by a single party. Perhaps the two-party system must be overthrown in the end for us to have functional government.

The New York City Council is opposing and urging the Board of Elections to block three housing-related ballot proposals from Mayor Eric Adams' Charter Revision Commission, arguing they mislead voters and would transfer land-use decision authority from the elected Council to unelected bodies. These proposals aim to fast-track approvals for certain projects and create an appeals board that could overturn Council decisions, potentially impacting affordable housing amid the city's low 1.4% vacancy rate. This is an interesting battle as it asks us to question who should be in charge of decisions regarding development in a major city like New York. On the one hand there's a clear advantage to getting red tape and the potential for corruption out of the way, on the other it does seem like the people need a meaningful voice in determining how land is used in the city. What do you think?

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer vetoed a bill that would have relaxed local government regulations for the location of recreational marijuana stores, keeping more restrictive county rules in place, which has frustrated cannabis advocates and lawmakers. State Sen. Trey Paradee, who sponsored the bill, claimed there was a deal with the governor to let it become law, a claim Meyer denied, leading to tensions and accusations of dishonesty or administrative disconnect between the governor’s office and Senate leadership. Backdoor deals represent the worst of politics and no matter who is telling the truth in the situation this serves a potent reminder that all government business should happen as transparently as possible. As far as the substantive issue of zoning marijuana retail, it does seem disappointing that state and city governments put forth legislation that indicates marijuana retail will be treated as a normal business practice but then create regulation around the industry that truly stifles the ability for those in the industry to engage in commerce.

Former Boston city councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested last December on federal fraud and theft charges, pleaded guilty, and relinquished her seat, with prosecutors now seeking a year and a day in prison for her involvement in a bribery scheme. Her defense attorney argues for probation, highlighting her background of poverty and trauma and her role as a caring public servant who failed to fully appreciate her responsibilities as a public steward. I think this is a good example of a moment where jail is not the right punishment as I don't think this former council member presents a meaningful threat to public safety nor will jail serve as a site of rehabilitation for this set of problems. At the same time, it is important that tales like this serve as a warning to public officials at the local level that bribery can not be tolerated and if you engage in the abuse office there are meaningful consequences