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Hard numbers: Iran protests death toll reportedly far higher, Deadly attack on Mexican soccer pitch, Gold prices surpass milestone, & More

​Two Iranian motorcyclists stop in front of the burned East Tehran General Directorate of Tax Affairs headquarters in Tehran, Iran, on January 21, 2026.

Two Iranian motorcyclists stop in front of the burned East Tehran General Directorate of Tax Affairs headquarters in Tehran, Iran, on January 21, 2026.

Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto
By Zac Weisz,
Zac Weisz
Zac reports on global affairs, covering everything from battles between judicial branches and political leaders, to conflicts in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. With the Trump administration keen to alter the world order, though, there’s a heavy emphasis right now on US politics – an area with which he is intimately familiar. Prior to joining GZERO, Zac was a senior national politics correspondent at National Journal, where he covered the 2024 presidential election from its inception to the dramatic finish, as well as major congressional actions during the Biden administration. Prior to journalism, Zac worked as an economic analyst for Oxford Economics, calculating the impact of various tax policies, and of Britain’s exit from the European Union. Born in London, he currently resides in New York City, where you can find him playing football (the original version) or watching it on television while attempting to cook up a storm.
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Alex Kliment,
Alex Kliment
Alex wears a few different caps and tips them all regularly. He writes for the GZERO Daily, works as a field correspondent for GZERO's nationally syndicated TV show GZERO WORLD WITH IAN BREMMER, and writes/directs/voices GZERO's award-winning puppet satire show PUPPET REGIME. Prior to joining GZERO, Alex worked as an analyst covering Russia and broader Emerging Markets for Eurasia Group. He has also written for the Financial Times from Washington, DC, and Sao Paulo Brazil. In his spare time, he makes short films and composes scores for long ones. He studied history and Slavic literature at Columbia and has a Master's from Johns Hopkins SAIS. He's a native New Yorker, a long-suffering Mets fan, and owns too many bicycles.
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Riley Callanan
Riley Callanan

Riley is a writer and reporter for GZERO. When she isn’t writing about global politics, you can find her making GZERO’s crossword puzzles, conducting research on American politics, or persisting in her lifelong quest to learn French. Riley spends her time outside of work grilling, dancing, and wearing many hats (both literally and figuratively).

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January 26, 2026
30,000: The estimated death toll in Iran during the protests at the start of the year, per local health officials, underscoring the scale of the Islamic Republic’s crackdown on its own citizens. This number would far eclipse initial estimates from the independent Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has so far confirmed 5,459 deaths. The regime itself said there had been 3,117 deaths.

11: The number of people killed on a soccer pitch in the Mexican city of Salamanca on Sunday, after a group of gunmen fired on a group of people who had stayed behind after a match there. The motive for the attack is unclear, though it comes as President Claudia Sheinbaum tries to tamp down on cartel-related violence.

81: The number of UK Labour members of parliament required to initiate a leadership challenge against their leader, Prime Minister Keir Starmer. There’s just one problem: Labour leadership blocked one of the potential challengers, Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, from running to return to parliament after a seat opened up in the area. Burnham can’t run for leader unless he’s an MP.

$5,000: The price of gold surpassed this amount – per troy ounce – for the first time ever on Monday. This comes as speculation grows over possible US-Japan action to support the yen, a move that would put further downward pressure on the US dollar. The price of gold has jolted upwards over the last two years as investors question the US’s status as the global reserve currency.

Bonus number! 54: The number of years since Japan has been without pandas. China is taking back the two bears at Tokyo’s zoo after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent comments that Japan could take military action if China attacked Taiwan.

gold pricesiran protests death tollmexican soccer attack

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​South Korea's former prime minister Han Duck-soo arrives at Seoul Central District Court to receive a first-instance verdict on insurrection-related charges, in Seoul, South Korea on January 21, 2026.

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Matrix Images/Jung Ui-chel
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Demonstrators including Tibetans, Uyghurs and Hongkongers protest against plans to open new Chinese mega-embassy, in London, United Kingdom, on Jan. 17, 2026.

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Wiktor Szymanowicz/ZUMA Press Wire
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​U.S. President Donald Trump takes oath as Barron Trump and Melania Trump look on the day of his Presidential Inauguration at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2025.

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REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
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