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Hard Numbers: GOP hush-hush, al-Aqsa tensions flare, Iran-Saudi thaw gets real, still inking at 106

Courtroom sketch of US President Donald Trump in court for his arraignment in New York.
Courtroom sketch of US President Donald Trump in court for his arraignment in New York.
REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

57: Hush hush! According to a new Economist/YouGov poll released after the indictment of former US President Donald Trump, 57% of Republicans believe that failing to report spending campaign cash on hush-money payments is a crime. That's down from 76% in early March, as largely conservative media have questioned the legal basis and political motivations for the charges against Trump.

7: On Thursday, the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in China for the first time in over 7 years, agreeing to resume diplomatic ties and reopen embassies. For more on the geopolitics behind the Iran-Saudi détente — and Beijing's role in helping the two Middle East rivals patch things up — read our primer here.

350: Israeli police arrested at least 350 Palestinians during a pre-dawn raid on the al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem on Tuesday. Authorities say militants had barricaded themselves inside the complex ahead of Passover, when Jewish worshippers will enter the site. Palestinians responded to a second raid Wednesday with rockets from the Gaza Strip, two years after Israel and Hamas fought a brief war that started over violence related to access to the holy site.

106: Whang-Od, an Indigenous tattoo artist in the Philippines, is the oldest person to be featured on the cover of Vogue magazine. The 106-year-old Whang-Od is famous for being one of the last people alive who performs batok, the traditional art of tattooing by hand in the mountainous Kalinga region.

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One year after announcing its European digital commitments, Microsoft shared an update on progress across the region, highlighting new investments and expanded infrastructure to support AI adoption, strengthen resilience, and protect data. As demand for AI grows, organizations across Europe are increasingly focused on digital sovereignty, seeking greater control over data, stronger security, and assurance that critical systems remain available amid geopolitical uncertainty. Microsoft’s latest update outlines progress across key areas, including cloud expansion, cybersecurity, and privacy protections, helping enable AI and cloud adoption at scale while aligning with European regulations and priorities. Read the full update here.

Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza Party, speaks during a press conference a day after the parliamentary election, in which Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban conceded defeat, Budapest, Hungary, April 13, 2026.
REUTERS/Marton Monus/File Photo

At first glance, Hungary’s Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar may appear to be the antithesis of the man he defeated in the April 12 election, Viktor Orbán. Yet the pair might be closer than you think – both on policy and politics.