140: Pakistan removed the last restrictions on international flights across its territory on Tuesday, ending a 140-day blackout imposed after an altercation with nuclear-armed arch-rival India that led to air strikes in Pakistan and the downing of an Indian fighter jet. The nearly five-month ban forced airlines serving India and other destinations across Asia to cancel flights and make lengthy detours around closed airspace.
1,187: The opioid epidemic isn't just a US problem. Nearly 1,200 people died from drugs in Scotland in 2018 — around 86 percent of cases involved opioids like heroin. Per capita, that's nearly 3 times the drug death rate for the whole UK and more than any other EU country.
2.7 million: There are 2,667,000 foreigners living in Japan now, or just over 2 percent of the total population. That represents an increase of 170,000 over the past year. The country's aging economy needs more young workers, but immigration is a contentious topic in Japan, one of the world's most ethnically homogenous countries.
17: There are only 17 countries left in the world that maintain full diplomatic relations with Taiwan rather than with Beijing. (You have to choose because Beijing, which sees Taiwan as part of China, will not grant full relations to countries that have formal ties with the island). Of those, over half are in Central America or the Caribbean. Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, landed in Haiti over the weekend to begin a tour of the region.
