Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

News

Hard Numbers: The shrinking Amazon, US views on #BLM, Boko Haram attack, the UK economy's bad case of COVID

Hard Numbers: The shrinking Amazon, US views on #BLM, Boko Haram attack, the UK economy's bad case of COVID
Make us preferred on Google

10,000: Under Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro's push to develop the Amazon, more than 10,000 square kilometers of the rainforest were destroyed last year. That's an area equal to the size of Lebanon, and it's a 34 percent increase over 2018. So far this year, destruction of the Amazon is already up 55 percent. The Amazon's vast absorption of greenhouse gasses is critical for limiting global warming, scientists say.


53: Two weeks of nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd have moved a majority (53 percent) of Americans to support the Black Lives Matter movement for the first time, according to the pollster Civiqs. Before Floyd's death, the figure stood at 48 percent, the highest mark on record at the time.

11.5: The UK economy will shrink 11.5 percent this year, the worst of any major economy, says the OECD, a group of advanced countries. And that's the optimistic case, which assumes no "second wave" of coronavirus. If another wave breaks, Britain's GDP would contract 14 percent. Analysts say that the UK's economic dependence on services has made it especially vulnerable to coronavirus-related shutdowns.

81: Boko Haram jihadists are suspected in an attack on a village in Northeastern Nigeria that left at least 81 people dead on Tuesday. The terror group has killed more than 30,000 people over the past decade, in a conflict that has displaced more than 2.5 million. With governments around the world distracted by the coronavirus pandemic, the group has recently increased its attacks.

More For You

Peru's conservative presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori addresses the media in Lima, Peru, on June 11, 2026.

Peru's conservative presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori addresses the media, as vote counting continues in a tight presidential race between Fujimori and leftist candidate Roberto Sanchez, in Lima, Peru, on June 11, 2026.

REUTERS/Alessandro Cinque/File Photo
Eight presidents, one of whom lasted five days. A plethora of attempted impeachments – including four successful ones. Several ex-leaders jailed. Eighteen different finance ministers. A litany of publicly-financed projects that are unfinished. Protests prompting a state of emergency declaration. An absence of trust in government. Election count [...]
Canada shows another red card at the border
Will Fitzpatrick
While the US has drawn attention for blocking fans, coaches, and referees from entering the country for the World Cup, co‑host Canada has also denied entry into its country for two players. Ahead of Ghana’s opening match against Panama in Toronto, midfielder Thomas Partey was denied a visa to travel from the US to Canada. And just yesterday, [...]
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian displays a memorandum of understanding after signing it in Tehran, Iran, on June 18, 2026.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian displays a memorandum of understanding after signing it in Tehran, Iran, on June 18, 2026, after the document was signed by US President Donald Trump.

Iranian Presidency via ZUMA Press
What does the US-Iran deal mean for Tehran? The interim agreement to end the war, signed by both sides on Wednesday, appears to tilt toward Iran: it lifts the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, grants sanction waivers for Iranian oil products – meaning Tehran no longer has to sell oil at a discount – and gives the Islamic Republic access to [...]
People walking along the Dubai Creek Harbour

People walk along Dubai Creek Harbour, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 6, 2026.

REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo
Will the Gulf pay for its own protection from Iran? Iran could reportedly receive up to $300 billion in a reconstruction fund for its battered economy as part of its interim peace deal with the US, which is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday. While the structure and management of the potential fund are unclear, US President [...]