Hard Numbers: Deforestation hits highs, Turkey arrests soldiers, Mauritania busts smugglers, OECD sees hope

Amazonas, Brazil. The photo shows the forest fires that affect the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and that have increased to their highest level since 2008.

12: Annual deforestation in Brazil's part of the Amazon rainforest has reached a 12 year high, with more than 4,200 square miles burned this year. That's an increase of 9.5 percent over the previous year. Destruction of the Amazon has increased under Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, who favors economic development of the rainforest.

82: The Turkish government has arrested 82 members of the military over suspected links to Fethullah Gulen, an exiled Muslim cleric whom Ankara blames for a failed coup in 2016. Gulen, who lives in the US, is the head of a global movement that focuses on Islamic values and education. Turkish authorities have sought his arrest for years.

30: Authorities in the West African nation of Mauritania say they have recently busted more than 30 illegal migration networks responsible for trafficking people to Europe. The news comes just a few weeks after more than 140 migrants aiming to reach Spain's Canary Islands died in a shipwreck off the Senegalese coast.

4.2: There's some light at the end of the COVID tunnel — the OECD says that the global economy will grow 4.2 percent next year, after shrinking by the same amount this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

More from GZERO Media

The United States is #winning. But while the short-term picture looks strong, the United States is systematically trading long-term strategic advantages for more immediate tactical gains, with the accumulating costs hiding in plain sight.

- YouTube

Who really shapes and influences the development of AI? The creators or the users? Peng Xiao, Group CEO, G42 argues it’s both. “I actually do not subscribe that the creators have so much control they can program every intent into this technology so users can only just respond and be part of that design,” he explains at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Global AI Summit.

Democratic nominee for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani getsures on stage after winning the 2025 New York City mayoral race, at an election night rally in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, USA, on November 4, 2025.
REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City yesterday following a social-media-first campaign that was laser-focused on affordability. His real challenge, though, has only just begun.

Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to American manufacturing means two-thirds of the products we buy come straight from our backyard to yours. From New Jersey hot sauce to grills made in Tennessee, Walmart is stocking the shelves with products rooted in local communities. The impact? Over 750,000 American jobs - putting more people to work and keeping communities strong. Learn more here.