Hard Numbers: Refugees flee Tigray, Palau to vaccinate everyone, El Salvador’s former commander-in-thief, US bans Chinese apps

Ethiopians fleeing from Tigray cross into Sudan. Reuters

2.2 million: Around 2.2 million people have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region since the fighting began two months ago, more than double the previous estimate, according to the local government. Addis Ababa claimed the new figure is exaggerated, but admitted the number of refugees is probably higher than the current official tally of 100,000.

18,000: The tiny Pacific island nation of Palau — which has not officially registered a single case of coronavirus — aims to become the first country in the world to vaccinate its entire population (roughly 18,000 people) thanks to Operation Warp Speed. Palau is independent but has a "free association" agreement with the US, which allowed it to benefit from the US government program to roll out COVID-19 vaccines.

4.4 million: A court in El Salvador has ordered former President Tony Saca to repay $4.4 million that he stole from the government when he was head of state. Still, that's a drop in the bucket for Saca, who is already serving a 10-year jail term for corruption and is on the hook for almost $300 million he pilfered from the coffers of one of the poorest countries in Latin America.

8: The Trump administration has banned 8 Chinese digital payment apps — including those owned by Ant Group and Tencent, two of China's largest companies — from doing financial transactions in the US. The move could be highly disruptive to businesses in both countries, but it's unclear whether the ban will actually be implemented because the incoming Biden administration may rescind the order before it's due to take effect.

More from GZERO Media

A combination photo shows a person of interest in the fatal shooting of U.S. right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah, U.S. shown in security footage released by the Utah Department of Public Safety on September 11, 2025.
Utah Department of Public Safety/Handout via REUTERS
A drone view shows the scene where U.S. right-wing activist, commentator, Charlie Kirk, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah, U.S. September 11, 2025.
REUTERS/Cheney Orr

The assassination of 31-year old conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a college event in Utah yesterday threatened to plunge a deeply divided America further into a cycle of rising political violence.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro stands next to members of the armed forces, on the day he says that his country would deploy military, police and civilian defenses at 284 "battlefront" locations across the country, amid heightened tensions with the U.S., in La Guaira, Venezuela, September 11, 2025.
Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS

284: Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has deployed military assets to 284 “battlefront” locations across the country, amid rising tensions with the US.

A member of Nepal army stands guard as people gather to observe rituals during the final day of Indra Jatra festival to worship Indra, Kumari and other deities and to mark the end of monsoon season.
REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar

Nepal’s “Gen-Z” protest movement has looked to a different generation entirely with their pick for an interim leader. Protest leaders say they want the country’s retired chief justice, Sushila Karki, 73, to head a transitional government.