Hard Numbers: Germany names Nord Stream suspect, WHO declares Mpox emergency, Kiwi charity accidentally gives out meth, Panama Canal struggles continue, US inflation lowest since 2021

​Nordstream pipeline explosion
Nordstream pipeline explosion

7: Who blew up the Nord Stream pipeline? Germany has issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian diver suspected of planting the explosives that did the job back in September 2022,seven months after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The suspect remains at-large, but the warrant marks the first significant development in solving the long running mystery of who was behind the attack.

13: The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency after detecting a surge of mpox, formerly called monkeypox, in 13 African countries. This is the second time in three years that the W.H.O. has designated mpox a global health emergency. The last time, in 2022, the disease affected nearly 100,000 people, primarily gay and bisexual men, in 116 countries. But experts warn that this strain could be deadlier, with women and children under 15 most at risk.

400: Around400 food-insecure people may have received sweets containing "potentially lethal levels of methamphetamine" in food parcels distributed by an anti-poverty charity in Auckland, New Zealand. Some of the candies were found to contain 120-300 times the commonly consumed dose of meth, giving each a street value of around $601. Police are still investigating the incident and have not confirmed whether it was accidental or a targeted operation.

35: In July, the volume of dry goods shipped through the Panama canal was down 35 percent compared to a year earlier. The number of ships carrying liquified natural gas fell by half during the same period. The data show that the canal – which handles about 5% of global maritime trade – is struggling to recover cargo volumes lost after a historic drought last year limited shipping traffic. Larger questions about the canal’s future loom as climate change drives down local rainfall and demands for safe drinking water grow.

2.9:US inflation fell to 2.9% in July, the lowest since March of 2021, indicating that the Fed is succeeding in quelling price pressures and bolstering the case for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates at its next meeting. This is good news for Harris’ presidential bid, since the economy – and inflation in particular – the top issue for the majority of voters.

More from GZERO Media

US President Donald Trump talks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting where Trump announced nuclear talks with Iran, in Washington, D.C., USA, on April 7, 2025.
REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt

The US president is keen for a deal with Iran, whereas his Israeli counterpart wants to strike the proverbial iron while it’s hot.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with military honors at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on May 28, 2025.
Christian Marquardt/NurPhoto

On Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Berlin will help Kyiv produce long-range missiles that can strike deep inside Russia, the latest sign of Europe’s growing impatience with Russia.

Strong partnerships are shaping the future of Canada’s energy landscape. In a landmark agreement, the Stonlasec8 Alliance, representing 36 First Nations in B.C., will invest $715M for a 12.5% stake in Enbridge’s Westcoast pipeline. Supported by a $400M federal loan guarantee, the deal reflects growing Indigenous collaboration with Enbridge and a greater presence in shaping the nation’s economic future. Enbridge’s Westcoast system transports up to 3.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily, providing safe, secure, and affordable energy across B.C., Alberta, and the US Pacific Northwest. Learn more.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi enter a hall for a family photo before a plenary session of the BRICS 2024 Summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 23, 2024.
MAXIM SHIPENKOV/Pool via REUTERS

The guns may now be silent in Kashmir, but India and Pakistan are still locked in a war of words, with each dispatching officials abroad to shape the narrative.