Weekly Brief

Welcome to the tut0ugh Weekly Brief. This past week, Zohran Mamdani won New York’s mayoralty, Putin ordered nuclear test preparations, COP30 opened in Brazil, amid global protests and shifting alliances.

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Zohran Mamdani wins New York mayoralty as Supreme Court questions Trump’s tariffs

Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, has been elected Mayor of New York City, defeating Andrew Cuomo with 50.4% of the vote — a landmark win making him the city’s first Muslim mayor. Democrats also claimed victories in Virginia and New Jersey, signalling voter frustration with President Donald Trump’s handling of inflation and governance.

Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court questioned Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs worth $88 billion, raising constitutional concerns over executive overreach.

The US also entered its longest federal government shutdown, now in its 36th day, with welfare access and food aid disrupted for millions as partisan gridlock deepens in Washington.

Russia advances near Pokrovsk as Putin orders nuclear test preparations

Russia’s Defence Ministry reports advances near Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, and Kupiansk, claiming the capture of Vovche in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. Though small, the gain carries symbolic weight amid ongoing attritional fighting. Kyiv describes conditions as “difficult” but maintains combat continues, while independent mapping by DeepState shows Russian progress without full encirclement.

Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin has instructed officials to prepare proposals for potential nuclear weapons testing, following US President Donald Trump’s plan to resume American tests for the first time since 1992. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed implementation is under way.

US grants Hungary sanctions exemption; deepens Central Asia energy ties

The United States has granted Hungary a one-year exemption from sanctions on Russian oil and gas, following talks between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and President Donald Trump in Washington. Orbán cited Hungary’s landlocked position and dependence on Russian imports.

Earlier in the week, Trump hosted the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, highlighting critical minerals as a US strategic priority. The C5+1 summit saw new agreements on supply chain diversification and energy cooperation, including Boeing’s sale of 37 aircraft and Cove Capital’s investment in Kazakhstan’s tungsten sector.

COP30 opens in Brazil as Asia and South America reel from extreme weather

World leaders convened in Belém, Brazil, for the COP30 climate summit, hosted near the Amazon rainforest. The meeting seeks to accelerate global climate action amid rising political and environmental pressure. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launched the Tropical Forests Forever Fund, designed to attract private investment for over 70 developing nations to protect rainforest ecosystems. US, China, and India did not send top leaders, raising questions about global momentum.

Meanwhile, Super Typhoon Fung-wong — the second in a week after Kalmaegi killed nearly 200 people in the Philippines and five in Vietnam — has forced 920,000 evacuations across the Philippines, while a tornado in southern Brazil left six dead and hundreds injured.

Mexico mourns slain mayor as Peru cuts ties with Mexico over asylum dispute

Thousands marched across Michoacán after Carlos Manzo, Mayor of Uruapan, was shot dead during Day of the Dead celebrations. The killing, the seventh mayoral assassination since 2021, has intensified outrage over Mexico’s political violence and impunity. President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed “no impunity” and reinforced security in the state, a hub of the $3.5 billion avocado industry plagued by organised crime. Manzo had earlier warned of threats and inadequate protection.

Meanwhile, Peru has cut diplomatic ties with Mexico after it granted asylum to former Prime Minister Betssy Chávez, accused of aiding ex-President Pedro Castillo’s 2022 coup attempt. Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela called the move “unfriendly,” deepening tensions between Lima and Mexico City. Peru’s Congress voted 63 to 34 on Thursday (Nov. 6) in favour of symbolically barring Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Iran faces critical water shortage as Iraq and Türkiye deepen water cooperation

Iran is preparing scheduled water cuts in Tehran, a city of over 10 million people, amid its worst drought in decades. Energy Minister Abbas Ali Abadi said the measures aim to prevent waste, while President Masoud Pezeshkian warned parts of the capital could face evacuation if no rainfall occurs before year-end. Reservoirs are critically low — the Amir Kabir Dam holds only 14 million cubic metres of water, compared with 86 million a year ago.

Meanwhile, Iraq and Türkiye have signed a new water infrastructure accord, funded by Iraqi oil sales to Ankara. The deal follows a 2024 cooperation framework, including three new dams and land-reclamation projects, marking a notable improvement in bilateral relations.

Lisbon and Riga see mass protests over workers’ rights and gender protections

Tens of thousands marched through Lisbon to oppose Prime Minister Luís Montenegro’s proposed labour reforms, which unions say will erode workers’ rights and widen inequality. The CGTP union estimated 100,000 participants, criticising measures that relax dismissal rules, expand outsourcing, and allow “individual time banks” of up to two extra work hours daily. The bill, backed by the Chega party, is expected to pass despite Portugal’s persistently low wages and high living costs.

Meanwhile, around 10,000 protesters rallied in Riga against Latvia’s potential withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention. President Edgars Rinkēvičs returned the law for review, warning it undermines EU human rights commitments, while Prime Minister Evika Siliņa condemned efforts to politicise victims’ experiences.

China commissions Fujian carrier as Taiwan seeks deeper EU security ties

China has officially commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, in a ceremony presided over by President Xi Jinping on Hainan Island. The vessel — China’s first equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system comparable to the USS Gerald R. Ford — marks a major advance in Beijing’s efforts to build a blue-water navy capable of global reach. Analysts say it strengthens China’s presence in the Western Pacific amid heightened Taiwan tensions, though operational challenges remain.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Vice President Bi-Khim Hsiao urged the European Union in Brussels to deepen security and trade cooperation, calling stability in the Taiwan Strait “essential to global peace.” China condemned her visit as interference and a breach of the One China policy.

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