Hard Numbers: From “Provincial Man” to Political Office

500 million: More than 500 million people in India are living in areas hit by a drought that has now affected more than 40 percent of the country's total land mass. The summer monsoon season may not bring much relief: forecasts call for below-average rains between June and September this year.

123 million: While the British economy continues to suffer from the uncertainty caused by Brexit, there's one industry making a killing—consultants. The British government spent $123 million on consultants between April 2018 and April 2019 to help prepare for Brexit. And that's a "conservative estimate."

4,000: Hostility from the Trump administration has prompted some asylum-seekers from Central America to try their luck crossing the Atlantic instead. The number of people from the region seeking refuge in Europe has jumped from 4,835 in 2017 to 7,800 last year. But it's not all about Trump: The number of Central Americans headed for Europe is up roughly 4,000% over the past ten years.

3: Apparently TV-stardom-to-political office isn't just a Ukrainian thing these days – seven cast members from the popular Philippines police TV serial "Ang Probinsyano," or "Provincial Man" ran for public office in the country's midterm elections in May, and three of them won.

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The body of Pope Francis in the coffin exposed in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on April 24, 2025. The funeral will be celebrated on Saturday in St. Peter's Square.
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While the Catholic world prepares for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday – the service begins at 10 a.m. local time, 4 a.m. ET – certain high-profile attendees may also have other things on their mind. Several world leaders will be on hand to pay their respects to the pontiff, but they could also find themselves involved in bilateral talks.

A Ukrainian rescue worker sits atop the rubble of a destroyed residential building during rescue operations, following a Russian missile strike on a residential apartment building block in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 24, 2025.
Photo by Justin Yau/ Sipa USA
Members of the M23 rebel group stand guard at the opening ceremony of Caisse Generale d'epargne du Congo (CADECO) which will serve as the bank for the city of Goma where all banks have closed since the city was taken by the M23 rebels, in Goma, North Kivu province in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo, April 7, 2025.
REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and an alliance of militias led by the notorious M23 rebels announced a ceasefire on Thursday after talks in Qatar and, after three years of violence, said they would work toward a permanent truce.

Students shout slogans and burn an effigy to protest the Pahalgam terror attack in Guwahati, Assam, India, on April 24, 2025. On April 22, a devastating terrorist attack occurs in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of at least 28 tourists.
Photo by David Talukdar/NurPhoto

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has blamed Pakistan for Tuesday’s deadly terrorist attack in Kashmir, and he’s takenaggressive action against its government.