Hard Numbers: Navalny’s next trial, US-Philippine ship sinking, incredibly expensive cigarettes, Sweden hits Norway with rocket

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen on a screen via video link during a court hearing in Moscow.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen on a screen via video link during a court hearing in Moscow.
Reuters

30: Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said on Wednesday that prosecutors are proceeding with a terrorist charge against him that could add 30 years to his current 11.5-year sentence.

1: In a joint naval exercise on Wednesday, US and Philippine forces used missiles and bombs to sink an out-of-commission Philippine Navy warship meant to represent an enemy vessel in the South China Sea as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. watched. After 38 years of joint war games, this is the first time the two allies have simulated a rocket attack in the disputed waters. China, no doubt, was watching too.

600 million: The British American Tobacco subsidiary, the world's second-largest tobacco company, has pleaded guilty to violating US sanctions by selling tobacco products to North Korea between 2007 and 2017. The more than $600 million fine amounts to “the single largest North Korean sanctions penalty in the history of the Department of Justice,” according to US officials.

40: On Monday, researchers in Sweden fired a rocket into the sky to carry out experiments on potential carbon-free fuels. Unfortunately, on return, the rocket landed about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from its planned landing site … and in the wrong country: Norway. No one was injured, and Sweden does not appear to have declared war on its neighbor, but Norwegian authorities are not the least bit happy about this.

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