Hard Numbers: Haiti's looted aid, Cuba’s gay marriage breakthrough, Kazakhstan’s red carpet for Russians, India’s “anti-national” crackdown
6 million: Amid recent protests over Haiti’s soaring food and fuel costs, looters have swiped at least $6 million worth of UN humanitarian aid, including thousands of tons of food. The UN now says the Caribbean nation is on the brink of “humanitarian catastrophe.”
66.9: In Cuba, 66.9% of voters approved a new, government-backed “Family Code” that legalizes same-sex marriage and adoption. Reuters notes that the 33% “no” vote was uncharacteristically large by the standards of Cuba’s one-party state. The referendum was the first since the widespread legalization of mobile internet access.
100,000: Nearly 100,000 Russians have fled to Kazakhstan since Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization. Kazakhstan says it is ready to welcome them and “ensure their safety.” Ties between the two former-Soviet giants have been strained since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
57: Police in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, arrested 57 people linked to the Popular Front of India, an Islamic organization that the government accuses of violence and “anti-national activities.” In recent weeks, the Indian government has cracked down on the PFI in a number of states. Critics of the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP say it discriminates against Muslims.
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