Hard Numbers: An Uprising Loses Steam

7,000: When France's Yellow Vest movement erupted last November, protests drew more than 280,000 participants and paralyzed Paris. But seven months and a particularly unsuccessful European parliamentary election campaign later (the group's candidates received less than 1% of the vote), the leaderless movement produced just 7,000 protestors over the weekend and now teeters on the brink of irrelevance.

30 billion: Chinese technology giant Huawei said it expected a $30 billion financial hit from the Trump administration's ban on the firm acquiring US technology, with sales of Huawei smartphones outside mainland China forecast to plunge 60 percent over the next couple of years. Founder Ren Zhengfei said the company "didn't expect the US would so resolutely attack Huawei."

7: Internet outages continued to hit broad stretches of Ethiopia for a seventh day on Monday. Authorities have remained tight-lipped about the reason for the shutdown, but the timing has led to speculation the country may have cut access to prevent students from cheating on nationwide exams. #overkill

500: US Border Patrol recently apprehended 500 African migrants crossing the US-Mexico border in a single week. For context: 211 African migrants were apprehended along the US-Mexico border for the entire 2018 fiscal year. Asylum seekers hail from various African countries, including Eritrea, Angola, Cameroon, and Sudan.

More from GZERO Media

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after speaking to reporters before their meeting at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on May 22, 2017.

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

President-elect Donald Trump raised eyebrows this week by sharing a video clip on his Truth Social account that shows economist Jeffrey Sachs trashing Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The European Union flag is displayed on a laptop screen and Elon Musk's account on X is displayed on a phone screen.

Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Reuters

Donald Trump’s bestie, Elon Musk, looks to be headed for a showdown with the elected leaders of Europe, and it is not clear who will come out on top.

Firefighters battle the Palisades Fire as it burns during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 8, 2025.
REUTERS/Ringo Chiu

Out-of-control wildfires are devastating southern California, which, in the hyperpolarized political world of 2025, has resulted in a war of words between Republicans and Democrats.

Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller speaks at a press conference about the government's border plan as Public Safety and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc listens, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, on Dec. 17, 2024.

REUTERS/Patrick Doyle

It was announced last Friday that Ottawa will pause new parent and grandparent sponsorship applications to address a 40,000-application backlog.

A house burns as powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area force people to evacuate, in Altadena, California, on Jan. 8, 2025.

REUTERS/David Swanson

As wildfires scorched Los Angeles for a second day on Wednesday, hurricane-strength winds and limited water supplies complicated efforts to contain the flames.