Hard Numbers: Ukraine's canine hero, IS strikes in Sinai, another kidnapping by Haitian gangs, Havana explosion

Ukraine's canine hero, IS strikes in Sinai, another kidnapping by Haitian gangs, Havana explosion
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy awards service dog and bomb sniffer "Patron."
Reuters

200: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has handed out a number of medals to service members fighting against the Russian onslaught. The latest recipient of a war-time accolade? A brave soul named Patron, a petite Jack Russell Terrier and bomb sniffer who has identified more than 200 explosive devices.

11: A weekend attack by IS operatives in the Sinai Peninsula left 11 Egyptian soldiers dead, injuring several more. Sinai, a hotbed of terrorism after the Muslim Brotherhood was ousted in 2013, had become less volatile since Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi launched a military operation there in 2018 to root out terror groups.

17: Haitian gang members have kidnapped at least 17 people traveling on a bus outside the capital. The group includes Haitians, Turks, and Dominican nationals. Kidnappings for ransom have become common in Haiti since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse last summer. Since then, rival gangs have been fighting over large swaths of the country.

30: At least 30 people were killed in a hotel explosion in Havana, the Cuban capital, after the top-tier Hotel Saratoga – which has hosted guests including Beyonce and Madonna – was rocked by a suspected gas leak. The hotel was about to reopen after a pandemic-related two-year closure and signals yet another blow for Cuba’s economy, which has become increasingly reliant on tourism.

More from GZERO Media

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks to the crowd during a commemoration ceremony held to mark the first anniversary of the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage in Tehran, Iran, on May 20, 2025.

ZUMA Press Wire via Reuters Connect

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected the US proposal for a nuclear deal, but negotiations will continue.

Open Call is the heart of Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to US manufacturing, supporting products made, grown or assembled in America. The pitch event represents a unique opportunity for selected entrepreneurs to meet face-to-face with Walmart merchants and earn a chance to get their products on store shelves nationwide. Last year, finalists from across the country represented 48 states, with entrepreneurs from over half these states receiving deals. It’s all a part of Walmart’s investment in American jobs and communities. Learn more about Walmart’s annual Open Call.

Five years ago, Microsoft set bold 2030 sustainability goals: to become carbon negative, water positive, and zero waste — all while protecting ecosystems. That commitment remains — but the world has changed, technology has evolved, and the urgency of the climate crisis has only grown. Last week, they launched the 2025 Environmental Sustainability Report, offering a comprehensive look at the journey so far, and how Microsoft plans to accelerate progress. You can read the report here.

Polish presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki, backed by the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, reacts to the exit polls of the second round of the presidential election, in Warsaw, Poland, June 1, 2025.
REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

Just when you thought the far right was in retreat in Eastern Europe, following recent losses in Romania and Albania, it came roaring back in Poland.