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Hard Numbers: A power play in the Arctic, Nigeria-UAE pen trade deal, US used civilian-appearing plane in first boat strike, Former NYC mayor nets crypto windfall

​NTB/Cornelius Poppe via REUTERS
Norway's Queen Sonja views a travel direction signpost as she visits Bjornoya island of the Svalbard Norwegian archipelago, June 14, 2025.
NTB/Cornelius Poppe via REUTERS
1920: Norway is tightening its grip on Svalbard, a remote archipelago near the North Pole rich in rare-earths and vital for satellite and missile monitoring, in a bid to keep rivals out of the Arctic. The archipelago is part of Norway, but a 1920 treaty has allowed almost anyone to live there without a visa. Oslo is asserting more control in restricting voting rights from foreigners and blocking land sale to foreign buyers.

$2 billion: Nigeria and the UAE signed a deal on Tuesday aimed at expanding non-oil trade, a deal that includes a $2 billion climate fund to support Nigeria’s green-energy transition. The deal between one of Africa’s biggest economies and the Gulf state comes as Nigeria aims to hit net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2060.

11: When the Trump administration launched its first attack on an alleged drug-smuggling boat traveling from Venezuela last September, it did so using an aircraft that looked like a civilian plane – a move that could be deemed a war crime under international armed conflict standards. The attack killed 11 people. Administration officials rejected the claim of possible war crimes.

$2.5 million: Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a memecoin yesterday and, after the token’s value skyrocketed, over $2.5 million of liquidity was withdrawn. The move has sparked accusations that the former mayor engaged in a “rug pull,” in which a famous figure or promoter hypes a token before cashing out and leaving investors with losses.

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If you spend a week in Ukraine, you’ll get a long list of advice. Download the air raid app. Download the power outage app. Don’t use elevators – you’ll be trapped if the power goes out. Download the map of bomb shelters. Bring batteries and portable chargers, more than you think. Take a course on how to tie a tourniquet.

Thailand's caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, a Bhumjaithai Party leader and prime ministerial candidate, arrives for a party list registration event ahead of the upcoming election, in Bangkok, Thailand, December 28, 2025.
REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

30%: A pair of surveys showed that Thailand’s progressive opposition party is leading the polls ahead of the Feb. 8 general election.