Hard Numbers

Hard Numbers: Deadly drones in Nigeria, Volcano death toll rises in Indonesia, Tuberville unblocks military promotions, US job openings drop

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu speaks after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria May 29, 2023.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu speaks after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria May 29, 2023.
REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

85: Nigeria’s president on Tuesday called for an extensive probe after a drone strike killed at least 85 civilians and wounded dozens in the northwest part of the country over the weekend. The strike was seemingly meant to hit militants but mistakenly hit a group of people gathered for a Muslim festival. Nigeria has been fighting extremist groups like Boko Haram for years – with significant support from the US – and this is not the first time there have been civilian casualties from Nigerian military operations.

22: At least 22 people are dead in Indonesia after a volcanic eruption. Mount Marapi, which is popular with hikers, first erupted on Sunday, spewing a 9,800-foot ash cloud into the air. Subsequent eruptions have reportedly hampered rescue efforts. The volcano has been active since an eruption in January that caused no casualties.

400: Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., on Tuesday announced he would stop holding up more than 400 military promotions after causing months of delays. Tuberville’s blockade was in protest of a Pentagon policy that allows service members to get reimbursed for travel costs linked to getting an abortion or fertility treatment. But he still intends to hold up roughly 11 promotions at the four-star rank.

8.7 million: A lot of “help wanted” signs just disappeared. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US had just 8.7 million job openings in October. That’s a huge drop from September’s 9.3 million and the lowest level since March 2021. The plunge hasn’t been accompanied by layoffs, so analysts believe this is simply a rebalancing from the pandemic.

More For You

A woman prepares to throw trash on a street in downtown Havana, Cuba, February 16, 2026.
REUTERS/Norlys Perez

The lights are going out in Cuba. There are no planes landing at Havana’s international airport; the jet fuel's gone. Buses have stopped running across most of the capital.

Chris, an Army veteran, started his Walmart journey over 25 years ago as an hourly associate. Today, he manages a Distribution Center and serves as a mentor, helping others navigate their own paths to success. At Walmart, associates have the opportunity to take advantage of the pathways, perks, and pay that come with the job — with or without a college degree. In fact, more than 75% of Walmart management started as hourly associates. Learn more about how over 130,000 associates were promoted into roles of greater responsibility and higher pay in FY25.

Last week, at the Munich Security Conference, a group of global technology providers, including Microsoft, announced the Trusted Tech Alliance — committed to shared, verifiable principles for trusted, transparent, and resilient technology across borders. At a moment of economic volatility and zero-sum technological competition, countries and customers are demanding greater accountability from technology providers. The Alliance addresses this by bringing together companies from across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America around shared commitments: transparent governance, secure development practices, supply chain oversight, open digital ecosystem, and respect for the rule of law — ensuring the benefits of emerging technologies strengthen public trust while driving job creation and economic growth. Explore the Trusted Tech Alliance here.