Hard Numbers

Hard Numbers: Russia continues bombarding Ukraine, UK councils seek more refugee hotel removals, Brazil’s ex-leader accused of Argentina escape plan, Conservationist charged with smuggling rhino horns, NYC mayor’s aide hands cash to reporter

​A service member of the 44th Separate Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fires a 2S22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops near a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 20, 2025.
A service member of the 44th Separate Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fires a 2S22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops near a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine August 20, 2025.
REUTERS/Maksym Kishka

614: For all the US efforts to end it, the Russia-Ukraine war is showing no signs of slowing down, as Moscow fired 614 drones and other missiles at its neighbor. Kyiv said it intercepted 577 of the weapons, but some of them still landed on Ukrainian soil – one person died in Lviv, while 15 were reported wounded in the south-west region of Transcarpathia.

32,000: The living arrangements of 32,000 asylum seekers who live in United Kingdom hotels may be threatened, as a raft of local councils seek to use a High Court ruling from Tuesday as precedent to oust more refugees from local homestays. Around 80 councils, run by a range of political parties, are considering such a move.

170: Brazilian police have handed in a 170-page report accusing former President Jair Bolsonaro of planning to flee to Argentina ahead of his sentencing. The report is based on messages in Bolsonaro’s phone. He is facing a 40 year sentence for allegedly plotting a military coup.

$14 million: It’s often the ones you least expect. South African authorities have charged a leading conservationist with smuggling $14 million of rhino horns from the Rainbow Nation through to Southeast Asia. John Hume denied the allegations and said he has “nothing to hide.”

$100: An adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams handed a journalist a potato chip bag stuffed with a $100 bill, and a number of $20 bills, following a campaign event in the Harlem area of New York City on Wednesday. The intent behind the transfer is unclear, but the adviser’s lawyer said it was “a gesture of friendship and gratitude.” It’s not the only rough news for an Adams associate: several of the mayor’s aides and supporters are set to face corruption charges in the coming days.

More For You

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with journalists to comment on new U.S. sanctions targeting two major Russia's oil producers, as well as other international issues, in Moscow, Russia, October 23, 2025.
Sputnik/Alexander Shcherbak/Pool via REUTERS

The US has paused Russian oil sanctions in a bid to stabilize energy markets rocked by the war with Iran. Administration officials stress that it’s a “tailored” measure, applying only to oil already loaded onto tankers, but it’s still a gift to Russia, which has already been clocking an extra $150 million daily in oil revenues since the war began.

A Boeing C-135 Stratotanker / Stratolifter military aircraft known as KC-135 of the United States Air Force USAF configured as Air Tanker Transport for aerial refueling, powered by 4x CFMI jet engines and tail number 63-8003. The military plane spotted flying over the Netherlands in the blue sky from Mainland USA to Tel Aviv TLV to support the Israel USA - Iran war known as Operation Epic Fury by the US Department of Defense. Venlo, the Netherlands on March 2, 2026
Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto

4: The number of crew members aboard a US refuelling plane – out of six total – who died after the aircraft crashed in neighboring Iraq on Thursday, US Central Command said this morning.