“Turn the volume up” Mamdani’s glory & the Dems’ dichotomy, Pokrovsk falling? Shein in France

It’s been a week that’s seen a remarkable political upset in New York, where 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani became the city’s youngest mayor in 130 years – and its first Muslim and immigrant leader in generations. The Democratic Socialist’s pledge to make New York more affordable galvanised young voters, though his call to tax the rich unsettled the party establishment. In Ukraine, fierce fighting continues for control of Pokrovsk, the fortress city key to Donetsk’s supply lines, as Russia claims to have encircled it and President Zelensky vows defiance on the front line. In Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum – after being groped by a man in public – has vowed to criminalise street harassment nationwide, calling it an attack on all women. And for Elon Musk, it’s been a record-breaking week, as Tesla shareholders approved what could become the biggest executive pay deal in history – worth up to a trillion dollars if he meets his ambitious targets.