Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Hard Numbers

Hard Numbers: Facebook bans anti-ICE group, Pakistan and Afghanistan agree to ceasefire, China seeks new source of soy, South Koreans go missing in Cambodia

​Federal officers detain a man at the Immigration court office areas at the Jakob Javits Federal Builing in Lower Manhattan on July 28,2025 in New York City.

Federal officers detain a man at the Immigration court office areas at the Jakob Javits Federal Builing in Lower Manhattan on July 28,2025 in New York City.

(Photo by John Lamparski/NurPhoto)
Make us preferred on Google
80,000: A Facebook group boasting 80,000 people that was used to share information on the whereabouts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Chicago has been shut down, following a request from the US Justice Department. Meta follows Apple and Google in shutting down apps aimed at tracking ICE agents.

48: Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire after a series of skirmishes along their 1,622-mile long border over the last week. The two neighbors have long had a testy relationship, dating back to Afghanistan’s vote against allowing Pakistan to join the United Nations in 1947. Their current tensions center on the Taliban’s reporting funding for a militant group that seeks to undermine the Pakistani government.

14%: Soy plantations cover 14% of Brazil’s agricultural land – and they are now the subject of a major geopolitical muddle involving the US and China. At stake are Brazil’s rainforests. Beijing has stopped buying soybeans from the US amid a broader trade dispute, and seeks to fill the shortfall through Brazil, which could threaten President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s efforts to stem deforestation.

79: South Korea is working to rescue citizens trapped in Cambodia’s online scam centers, where hundreds have been trafficked, tortured, or killed after being lured by fake job offers. Officials say 79 remain missing. The crackdown follows US, UK, and Chinese actions against Southeast Asia’s multibillion-dollar cybercrime networks.

More For You

Hard Number: US eyes Cuba, literally
Natalie Johnson
The US military is reportedly increasing surveillance missions over Cuba, mostly around the country’s two biggest cities, Havana and Santiago de Cuba. Flights of this ilk were previously rare in this area. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is reportedly growing impatient that the Cuban regime hasn’t fallen, despite a de facto US oil blockade on [...]
US labor market holds steady despite Iran war
Natalie Johnson
Employers in the world’s largest economy are shrugging off the uncertainty brought on by the Iran war and higher energy prices – at least for now. Experts expected roughly 65,000 jobs to be added last month, a significant slide from the 185,000 in March. But if higher gas prices persist, and Americans pair back spending, economists say that could [...]
Record Israeli settlements in the West Bank
Natalie Johnson
Israel’s right-wing government has overseen a record expansion of settlements in the West Bank in recent years. The settlements, which are illegal under international law, are driving the displacement of Palestinians. One proposal the government is now advancing is the controversial E1 settlement plan, which would effectively slice the West Bank [...]
Ukrainian drones go the distance
Natalie Johnson
Ukrainian drones are hitting targets deep inside Russia, reaching areas where once residents believed the war was too distant to touch them. For the city of Yekaterinburg, which saw residential buildings damaged by drones, the attack carries symbolic weight. The city lies in Ural Mountains and served as a base for the Soviet Union during World War [...]