News
Hard Numbers: ISIS-K strikes, ripple effects of Canadian wildfires, eurozone recession, Aussies rescue humpback in distress
Security forces keeping watch after mosque explosion
Reuters
11: At least 11 people, including two Taliban officials, were killed and dozens more injured in an explosion in a mosque in northeastern Afghanistan. The Islamic State offshoot has since taken responsibility for the blast. For more on ISIS-K and its ongoing beef with the Taliban, see our explainer here.
5,804: Smoke plumes from wildfires in Canada caused at least 5,804 delays on flights in and out of the US on Wednesday, as the Northeast in particular struggles with off-the-charts smoke pollution levels that have closed schools and public events. Meanwhile, experts say smoke plumes are expected to reach as far away as Norway after having recently passed over Greenland and Iceland.
0.1: The eurozone is technically in recession territory after recording two consecutive quarter contractions of 0.1% – in the last quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of this year. Still, the bloc’s economy is doing better than many initially anticipated at the outset of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and should grow by 0.9% this year.
40,000: Mesmerizing footage captured Australian marine workers rescuing a humpback whale that got tangled in a shark net off the coast of New South Wales. As more humpbacks — around 40,000 — head towards that coastline amid the northern migration season (May-November), Aussies have a special disentanglement crew ready to aid mammals that get stuck.America’s new National Security Strategy confirms what Europeans have feared for months: Washington now sees a strong, unified European Union as a problem to be solved, not an ally to be supported.
In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Ed Policy, President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers, to discuss how purpose-driven leadership and innovation are shaping the future of one of the world’s most iconic sports franchises. Ed shares how technology and community-focused initiatives, from Titletown Tech to health and safety innovations on the field, are transforming not just the game of football, but the economy and culture of Green Bay itself. He explains how combining strategic vision with investment in local startups is keeping talent in the Midwest and creating opportunities that extend far beyond Lambeau Field.
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More than a week after Hondurans cast their ballots in a presidential election, the country is still stuck in a potentially-dangerous post-election fog.