15: The number of migrants who died after their boat accidentally collided with a Greek Coast Guard vessel in the Aegean Sea on Tuesday. Two dozen people were rescued. Although crossings of this kind have declined since the peak of the European migration crisis a decade ago, tens of thousands of people still risk the journey each year.
20 million: The volume, in metric tons, of soybeans that China would consider buying from the United States in the current season, up from an initial pledge of 12 million metric tons. The suggestion came during a two-hour call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.
12: The number of Israelis charged by the country’s authorities with helping to smuggle goods like iPhones and cigarettes into Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war that engulfed the enclave since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, as well as during the more recent ceasefire.
9-10: The number of months needed to organize elections in Venezuela, according to the country’s main opposition leader, María Corina Machado. It’s an ambitious timeline, and it’s not clear when it would even start. The Trump Administration says it has a three-stage plan for Venezuela that entails stabilization, economic recovery, and – only at the end – a political transition. It has laid out no dates for this.
216: The number of separatists in the province of Balochistan killed by Pakistan’s military in the last week, after the Baloch Separatist Army launched a fresh wave of attacks on Jan. 31. The Pakistani military said it has now concluded its operation. For more on this long-festering rebellion in southwestern Pakistan, see our explainer here.
