Hard Numbers: Russia leaves more Ukrainians powerless, China arrests Christians, Trump seeks even cheaper oil, US trade deficit narrows

1 million: Russian drone strikes crippled energy infrastructure in southeast Ukraine overnight, leaving over one million people in Dnipropetrovsk without heat or water in the dead of winter. Electricity supplies were also disrupted for thousands more people in neighboring Zaporizhzhia.

9: China arrested nine people who are connected with an influential Protestant church in Chengdu, part of a broader crackdown by the Chinese Communist Party on religious organizations that aren’t under state control. The campaign could further complicate Beijing's relationship with Washington – who’ve made defending Christians against what they’ve called persecution a priority in countries like Nigeria.

$50:US President Donald Trump plans to dominate the Venezuelan oil industry, with the goal of getting oil prices down to $50 per barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, is trading around $60 a barrel this afternoon. Trump’s plan could generate some opposition from American oil producers, though, who may feel that it will no longer be profitable to drill if prices drop below $50.

$29.4 billion: The US trade deficit in goods and services narrowed to $29.4 billion in October, its lowest level since 2009. The 3.2% drop in imports was in part fueled by companies who stockpiled imports in early 2025 in an effort to get ahead of tariffs. A US Supreme Court decision, which could come as soon as tomorrow, may strike down some of the levies.