Skip to content
Search
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

Hard Numbers

Hard Numbers: Ukraine’s opens the exit door, More Colombian soldiers kidnapped, South Korea bans cells in schools, Taylor Swift’s big day

​A Ukrainian soldier is seen at a checkpoint at the road near a Crimea region border March 9, 2014. Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on Sunday despite a U.S. warning to Moscow that annexing the southern Ukrainian region would close the door to diplomacy in a tense East-West standoff.

A Ukrainian soldier is seen at a checkpoint at the road near a Crimea region border March 9, 2014. Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on Sunday despite a U.S. warning to Moscow that annexing the southern Ukrainian region would close the door to diplomacy in a tense East-West standoff.

REUTERS/Viktor Gurniak
By 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).

See Full Bio
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.
See Full Bio
August 27, 2025
60: Ukraine will allow men aged 18–22 to leave the country, easing a wartime ban that kept males under 60 from crossing the border. The ban has been a point of tension in the country, with boys being sent abroad before 18, families remaining separated for long periods of time, and men outside the country refusing to reenter. Despite ongoing manpower shortages, Zelensky remains resistant to lowering the draft age below 25.

34: A rebel FARC group has kidnapped 34 soldiers in southeast Colombia in what is the latest instance of dissidents fighting government forces in the Latin American country. The move came after the military forces recently killed 11 guerillas in a spike in hostilities. The militant FARC group accepted a peace deal with the government in 2016, but some of its members rejected the deal, splintered off, and have continued to cause chaos ever since (read more here).

115: South Korean students won’t be able to use their phones in school starting March 2026, after 115 members of the National Assembly passed a bill that bans the use of cells in the classroom. Only 31 members voted against. South Korea becomes the latest country to enact such a law, following similar moves from Italy, the Netherlands, and China.

80,000: Taylor Swift’s engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce has ignited a frenzy on prediction markets, with more than $80,000 new bets on the “Kalshi” platform within hours of the announcement. Wagers range from the wedding date to future children – the latest sign of America’s gambling craze spilling into celebrity culture.

ukrainesouth korea

Latest Videos

Greenland, tariffs, and the transatlantic relationshipplay icon
GZERO Europe

Greenland, tariffs, and the transatlantic relationship

Trump, Canada, and the future of the free world
ask ian

Trump, Canada, and the future of the free world

The world economy is resilient, despite tariffs
GZERO World Clips

The world economy is resilient, despite tariffs

ICE in Minneapolis
Quick Take

ICE in Minneapolis

Stubb: Russia is losing in Ukraine
GZERO World Clips

Stubb: Russia is losing in Ukraine

Can Europe stay united?
GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

Can Europe stay united?

More For You

Hard numbers: Cuba’s oil reserves running dry, China executes alleged Myanmar scammers, Metal hype continues, Heavy gunfire at Niger’s airport

​Igmel Tamayo carries charcoal to sell on the side of a road for use as cooking fuel in homes, on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, on January 12, 2026.

Igmel Tamayo carries charcoal to sell on the side of a road for use as cooking fuel in homes, after US President Donald Trump vowed to stop Venezuelan oil and money from reaching the island as Cubans brace for worsening fuel shortages amid regular power outages, on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba, on January 12, 2026.

REUTERS/Norlys Perez
15-20: The number of days before Cuba’s oil reserves run dry, according to the data firm Kpler, should it continue at current levels of demand and domestic production. This comes as Mexico, the largest supplier of crude to Cuba, has halted some oil exports to the island. Cuba’s economy is already deteriorating, but with Venezuela's oil supplies [...]

Hard numbers: Hamas seeks new role for its forces in Gaza, New estimate of Russian casualties in Ukraine, Rwanda sues the UK, & More

​Fighters of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, attend a rally marking the 35th anniversary of the group's foundation in Gaza City on December 14, 2022.

Fighters of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, attend a rally marking the 35th anniversary of the group's foundation in Gaza City on December 14, 2022.

Photo by Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto
10,000: The number of Hamas officers that the militant group reportedly wants to incorporate into the US-backed Palestinian administration for Gaza, in the form of a police force. This move could act as a workaround for Hamas’ disarmament, which is a key condition of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire. Israel will likely oppose this move, [...]

Hard numbers: Myanmar’s military-backed party set to win sham election, Trump threatens to raise tariffs on South Korea, Silver prices spike, & More

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing (R) arrives at a polling station in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw on Dec. 28, 2025.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing (R) arrives at a polling station in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw on Dec. 28, 2025, for the country's first general election since a 2021 coup.

Kyodo
57: The number of seats – out of 61 – that Myanmar’s military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party has won in the lower house following Sunday’s election, according to a party official. The election, the first since the army seized power in 2021, was widely viewed as a sham, with many townships refusing to vote. [...]

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
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 [...]