Hard Numbers

1,500: A “refugee caravan” of 1,500 migrants from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador — many of them unaccompanied children — has begun a month-long journey to the United States, where they intend to seek political asylum. The group plans to challenge the more stringent asylum rules put in place by the Trump administration.

1,127: In 2017, 1,127 people were able to defect from North to South Korea. That’s about one third the annual number who survived the crossing before Kim Jong-un came to power in 2011.

200 billion: Estimates of Vladimir Putin’s personal wealth range from $50 billion to $200 billion. Good job, if you can get it.

70: Some 70 percent of guns recovered at crime scenes in Mexico and traced since 2009 were purchased in the US and trafficked across the border. #BuildTheWall

90:The Continental Free Trade Area, the new blockbuster trade deal signed by 44 African leaders, will eliminate tariffs on 90 percent of goods and liberalize services. Nigeria and South Africa, the continent’s two largest economies, are among 11 African governments that haven’t yet signed. Negotiations continue.

More from GZERO Media

AI generated spiral image

Last week, Microsoft released its 2025 Digital Defense Report, highlighting the evolving cybersecurity landscape and Microsoft's commitment to defending against emerging threats. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the current threat environment, including identity and access threats, human-operated attacks, ransomware, fraud, social engineering, and nation-state adversary threats. It also outlines advancements in AI for cyber-attack and defense, as well as the emerging cybersecurity threat of quantum technology. The report emphasizes the need for international collaboration, proactive regulatory alignment, and the development of new tools and practices to enhance cybersecurity resilience. Explore the report here.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the inaugural session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 10, 2025.

Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

There are a lot of good vibes between the United States and Saudi Arabia right now. Whether that stretches to the Riyadh normalizing relations with Israel is another matter.

Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C, first row) poses during a photo session with members of her cabinet at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Japan October 21, 2025.
PHILIP FONG/Pool via REUTERS

1: As anticipated, Japan’s Parliament elected Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takichi to be the 104th prime minister – and the first female PM in the country’s history.

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Americans frustrated with dysfunction in Congress want action-oriented leaders like President Trump, former GOP strategist Steven Law says on GZERO World. But the next political winner may be the one who can deliver for voters while lowering the political temperature.

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As the world faces rising food demand, social entrepreneur Nidhi Pant is tackling the challenge of food waste while empowering women farmers. Speaking with GZERO Media’s Tony Maciulis on the sidelines of the 2025 World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings, Pant explains how her organization, Science for Society Technologies (S4S), is helping smallholder farmers process and preserve their produce reducing massive post-harvest losses.