100 million: The number of people expected to watch the Super Bowl halftime performance with Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican superstar and newly minted Album of the Year winner at the Grammys. It’s already sparked a lot of political buzz, with the singer’s criticism of ICE. The conservative group Turning Point USA said it will host a counter-halftime show featuring Kid Rock.
3: The number of African countries that have agreed to take back migrants from the United Kingdom accused of crimes and entering the country illegally. Namibia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed on after the UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, threatened to stop issuing visas to people from those countries if they didn’t cooperate.
880 pounds: The amount of enriched uranium that the US is calling for Iran to transfer out of the country as the two countries meet in Oman. Iran said talks were off to a “good start,” but the threat of US military action is still on the table.
3 billion: The amount of yuan (equivalent to $431 million) that Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is spending to attract users to its Qwen AI app, giving incentives for eating out, entertainment, and leisure, as well as distributing large red envelopes, ostensibly full of cash.In this "ask ian," Ian Bremmer breaks down the rapidly unraveling situation following the US announcement of “Project Freedom” and why tensions with Iran are escalating again.
Will Japan rewrite its rules of war? Europe meets (again) to shape its own defense destiny, US to “guide” ships through Hormuz
Putin is increasingly paranoid, according to a Financial Times report out today. Security has been tightened, more time is being spent in underground bunkers, and the vast majority of his attention is being absorbed by Russia’s war with Ukraine. One reason of his concern is said to be Ukraine’s drone capabilities, which have demonstrated an ability to strike Russian airfields thousands of miles from Kyiv.
There are signs AI could ripple through the economy much faster than past innovations. At the 2026 World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings, GZERO’s Tony Maciulis asked Microsoft's Vickie Robinson what it will take to prepare economies for the age of AI and how quickly it needs to happen.