News
Hard Numbers: Russian death toll, oligarchs’ yachts get away, migrants storm Spanish enclave, Afghan trust fund, space junk
File photo of a Russian soldier standing guard at an outlook post.
REUTERS
498: At least 498 Russian soldiers have died so far in the Ukraine invasion, Russia's defense ministry said on Wednesday. It's the first time Moscow has put a figure on its own casualties since launching the war almost a week ago.
5: President Joe Biden announced in his SOTU address Tuesday night that the US would seize the property of Russian billionaires with ties to Vladimir Putin in response to the Ukraine invasion. Five yachts owned by Russian oligarchs have arrived in the Maldives — which notably has no extradition treaty with the US — since sanctions were placed on Russia.
2,500: On Wednesday, about 2,500 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa tried to cross the border fence that separates Morocco from Melilla, one of Spain’s two enclaves in the North African country. It’s the biggest influx since May 2021, when another wave of migrants crashed the gates in Ceuta — the other Spanish enclave — during a diplomatic clash between Rabat and Madrid over the sovereignty of Western Sahara.
1 billion: The World Bank said Tuesday that it will use more than $1 billion from a frozen trust fund to pay for urgently needed development programs in Afghanistan. The money will go directly to the UN and other agencies on the ground – but not a single cent will go to the Taliban.
5,800: A mass of space junk weighing more than three tons is traveling at 5,800 mph to the far side of the Moon. It will likely crash there on Friday. Experts believe the trash is the remains of a Chinese rocket launched in 2014, but Beijing has declined to confirm it.The European Union just pulled off something that, a year ago, seemed politically impossible: it froze $247 billion in Russian central bank assets indefinitely, stripping the Kremlin of one of its most reliable pressure points.
Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to American manufacturing means two-thirds of the products we buy come straight from our backyard to yours. From New Jersey hot sauce to grills made in Tennessee, Walmart is stocking the shelves with products rooted in local communities. The impact? Over 750,000 American jobs - putting more people to work and keeping communities strong. Learn more here.
Of all the threats to the world, what are the top 10 most urgent global risks for 2026? On Monday, January 5, at 12 pm ET, join us for a livestream discussion with Ian Bremmer and global experts to discuss the Top Risks of 2025 report from Eurasia Group. This report will mark twenty years of Ian Bremmer’s annual forecast of the political risks that are most likely to play out over the year. Event link: gzeromedia.com/toprisks
In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Ed Policy, President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers, to discuss how purpose-driven leadership and innovation are shaping the future of one of the world’s most iconic sports franchises. Ed shares how technology and community-focused initiatives, from Titletown Tech to health and safety innovations on the field, are transforming not just the game of football, but the economy and culture of Green Bay itself. He explains how combining strategic vision with investment in local startups is keeping talent in the Midwest and creating opportunities that extend far beyond Lambeau Field.
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