Hard Numbers: Synagogue gunman sentenced to death, talks with Niger coup leaders, migrants’ near-death journey on high seas, El Salvador’s gang crackdown

Memorials outside the Tree of Life synagogue following the shooting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Memorials outside the Tree of Life synagogue following the shooting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Reuters

11: The gunman who killed 11 people in an attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 – the deadliest attack on Jews in US history – was sentenced to death on Wednesday by a federal jury. It’s the first federal death penalty imposed in the country since President Joe Biden came to office in Jan. 2021.

3,500: Four Nigerian migrants survived a 3,500-mile boat ride across the Atlantic hiding above the rudder of a cargo ship. The men, who were hoping to reach Europe, were surprised when they landed in Brazil two weeks after setting off from Lagos. Two have since opted to return to Nigeria while the others have sought asylum in Brazil.

15: A delegation representing ECOWAS, an economic bloc of 15 West African countries, traveled to Niger on Wednesday to try to negotiate with junta leaders who recently seized power from Niger’s Western-aligned government. ECOWAS reps have said they will use force if needed to reinstate the ousted government, raising fears of a full-blown regional crisis.

8,000: El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has sent 8,000 troops to surround the central region of Cabanas, home to roughly 150,000 people, in a bid to crack down on gang violence. It’s the first time authorities have cordoned off an entire region since Bukele introduced a state of emergency in March 2022 to tackle gang violence – a measure many human rights groups have dubbed draconian.

More from GZERO Media

- YouTube

As the Israel-Iran war intensifies, Iran is seeking an urgent ceasefire, facing overwhelming Israeli military air superiority. "They have virtually no capacity to strike back,” says Ian Bremmer in today’s Quick Take.

Memorial outside the Minnesota State Capitol in honor of Democratic state assemblywoman Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, after a gunman killed them, in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S., June 15, 2025.
REUTERS/Tim Evans

Minnesota’s massive manhunt ended Sunday with the arrest of 57-year-old Vance Boelter, accused of killing State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injuring State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.

Emergency personnel work at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran on Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on June 16, 2025.
REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

The war between Israel and Iran continued to escalate over the weekend, creating a dilemma for US President Donald Trump.

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to attend the G7 Leaders' Summit at the Rocky Mountain resort town of Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, June 15, 2025.
REUTERS/Chris Helgren/Pool

The G7 is no longer setting the table; it’s struggling to hold the cutlery. Once a pillar of the post-war world order, the group today is splitbetween the US and the rest, casting about for common ground.

- YouTube

Tensions in the Middle East escalate as Israel launches a surprise military strike against Iran, prompting international concern and speculation about broader conflict. In his latest Quick Take, Ian Bremmer calls Israel’s strike on Iran “a huge success for the Israelis” and a significant blow to Iran’s regional influence.