Hard Numbers: More weapons for Ukraine, Cubans at the US border, Afghan attack, North Korean garbage

Hard Numbers: More weapons for Ukraine, Cubans at the US border, Afghan attack, North Korean garbage
Undated handout image of a Switchblade drone.
ABACA via Reuters Connect

800 million: As the war in Ukraine shifts towards the Donbas, US President Joe Biden on Thursday announced an additional $800 million in military aid to Kyiv, including heavy artillery, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, and tactical drones.

32,141: US officials processed 32,141 Cuban migrants at the US southern border last month, a record high. Officials from the US and Cuba on Thursday met for the highest-level talks between the two countries in years.

10: At least 10 people were killed in an explosion at a Shiite mosque in northern Afghanistan on Thursday. The Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan has claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes amid escalating violence against the country’s Shia and other minorities.

2,000: A scholar in South Korea has collected more than 2,000 pieces of North Korean trash that have washed up on beaches near the frontline between the two countries. It’s part of a study on changing consumption patterns in North Korea, one of the most economically isolated countries in the world.

More from GZERO Media

- YouTube

As the global economy faces uncertainty, Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director of the World Bank, warns that “a wait-and-see attitude” is holding back investment and growth, especially in developing countries. Speaking with GZERO Media’s Tony Maciulis on the sidelines of the 2025 World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings, van Trotsenburg highlights human capital and infrastructure as key priorities, with a growing urgency to bridge both the digital and AI divides.

Chart of the most consequential Supreme Court cases of 2025.
Eileen Zhang

The 2025 Supreme Court term began this month, ushering in a slate of cases that could reshape American governance. No one will be watching more closely than President Donald Trump, whose efforts to expand executive power and limit independent oversight will be under the judicial microscope.

Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga addresses delegates after President William Ruto signed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Amendment Bill 2024, backed by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 9, 2024.
REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

When Walmart stocks its shelves with homegrown products like Fischer & Wieser’s peach jam, it’s not just selling food — it’s creating opportunity. Over two-thirds of what Walmart buys is made, grown, or assembled in America, fueling jobs and growth in communities nationwide. Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to US manufacturing is supporting 750,000 jobs and empowering small businesses to sell more, hire more, and strengthen their hometowns. From farms to shelves, Walmart’s investment keeps local businesses thriving. Learn how Walmart's commitment to US manufacturing is supporting 750K American jobs.

Earlier this month, Microsoft released the 2025 TechSpark Impact Report, which highlights how the company is assisting regions across the US in achieving these goals. Since its launch, TechSpark has obtained over $700 million in community funding, supported more than 65,000 people in developing digital skills, and, thanks to the work of TechSpark Fellows, catalyzed $249M+ in funding and upskilled 34,600 individuals across 46 communities — highlighting the ripple effect of local leadership and innovation. Learn more about this progress in the 2025 report here.

People walk past a jewelry store in the Diamond District of Manhattan, New York City, USA, on August 6, 2025.
Jimin Kim / SOPA Images via Reuters Connect

GZERO spoke to Eurasia Group’s Commodities Director Tim Puko to better understand why the diamond industry has tanked, and the consequences of this for geopolitics.