Hard Numbers: Oscars go global, Congress does its job, Peru revives the Senate, Mauritania gets migration money

Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel appears on a billboard in Hollywood as preparations continue for the 96th Academy Awards Awards Los Angeles, California U.S., March 6, 2024. ​

Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel appears on a billboard in Hollywood as preparations continue for the 96th Academy Awards Awards Los Angeles, California U.S., March 6, 2024.

REUTERS/Mike Blake
10,500: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the folks behind the Oscars this weekend) has expanded its member rolls to over 10,500 individuals in over 75 countries, which may help account for the rise in international nominees. However, they still have a long way to go to diversify the Academy’s membership as just 34% of members are women and 18% are from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities.

460,000,000,000: The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a $460 billion spending bill, which is expected to clear the Senate in time to avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend. The bill keeps about a quarter of the government running through September, and legislators will now turn to the lion’s share of federal spending, which must be passed by March 23.

60: Peru will elect 60 new Senators after legislators passed a bill reviving the institution some 30 years after President Alberto Fujimori dissolved it and rewrote the constitution. Half the body will be elected by individual districts, while half will run nationwide races in elections scheduled for 2026.

210,000,000: The European Union has signed a €210 million ($229 million) deal with Mauritania that includes funds to prevent irregular migration from the Saharan nation into Europe. The money will help Mauritania patrol its waters for vessels carrying migrants to Spain’s Canary Islands and is part of a larger EU effort to work with African countries in tackling migration.

More from GZERO Media

U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hold a press conference at Chequers at the conclusion of a state visit on September 18, 2025 in Aylesbury, England.
Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS

$200 billion: A group of major American firms – including Blackstone, OpenAI, and Microsoft – pledged to invest $200 billion in the United Kingdom for projects including data centers and AI expansion, expected to create thousands of jobs.

On the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, our panel of global experts will discuss the future of global cooperation and governance in the age of AI. Our livestream panel discussion, "Global Stage: Live from the 80th UN General Assembly" will examine these key issues on Tuesday, September 23 at 11:30 AM ET, live from the sidelines of UN headquarters on the first day of high-level General Debate. Watch live at gzeromedia.com/globalstage

Last Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict: Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president who tried to overturn the 2022 election, was convicted along with seven close allies for conspiring against democracy and plotting to assassinate his rivals, including President Lula. Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison and barred from office until 2060. At 70, he will likely spend his remaining years behind bars.
Last Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict: Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president who tried to overturn the 2022 election.

Last Thursday, Brazil’s Supreme Court delivered a historic verdict: Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right former president who tried to overturn the 2022 election.

This summer, Microsoft released the 2025 Responsible AI Transparency Report, demonstrating Microsoft’s sustained commitment to earning trust at a pace that matches AI innovation. The report outlines new developments in how we build and deploy AI systems responsibly, how we support our customers, and how we learn, evolve, and grow. It highlights our strengthened incident response processes, enhanced risk assessments and mitigations, and proactive regulatory alignment. It also covers new tools and practices we offer our customers to support their AI risk governance efforts, as well as how we work with stakeholders around the world to work towards governance approaches that build trust. You can read the report here.