50: Ukrainian President Volodoymyr Zelensky said he wants a 50-year security guarantee from the United States, far longer than the 15-year guarantee that US President Donald Trump reportedly offered. A peace agreement still looks unlikely, for now. What’s more, Russia accused Ukraine of attempting a drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences, which Kyiv denied.
29%: Despite the occasional stumbles, US financial markets have long been the envy of the world. Not so in 2025: an index of non-US stocks grew 29%, roughly 12 points higher than the S&P 500. It’s the biggest gap since 2009. Breakthroughs in AI in China, combined with concerns over the Trump administration’s tariff policies, helped drive the divergence.
1: Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland, an autonomous region of Somalia that broke away from the East African country 30 years ago. The move comes after Israel reportedly contacted Somaliland in March as a potential destination for Palestinians uprooted by the Gaza war. Somaliland’s position is also strategic for Israel: it sits across from Yemen on the Gulf of Aden, and could be a useful staging ground for possible operations against the rival Iran-backed Houthis. For an explainer on Somaliland, watch this video.
10: El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukelesays he’s open to staying in his role for another ten years. Bukele, who has already gotten the country’s top court to strike down term limits, is immensely popular – both at home and elsewhere in Latin America – for his ferocious crackdown on gang violence and crime. But activists and critics warn he is undermining democratic institutions and violating human rights.
$4,000: In a bid to cut down on the estimated 50 tons of garbage on Mount Everest, Nepalese authorities introduced a scheme in 2014 requiring climbers to pay a
$4,000 deposit, refundable only if they brought at least 8 kg (18 lbs) of rubbish down with them. However, the authorities are now scrapping the scheme after it failed to show any results. What a
waste of time…
