popular

Hard Numbers: Russian horses for Kim, Delhi’s toxic air, no dirty bomb in Ukraine, fake Americans

North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un rides a horse during snowfall in Mt. Paektu.
North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un rides a horse during snowfall in Mt. Paektu.
KCNA via REUTERS

30: Russia and North Korea have resumed rail travel for the first time since the pandemic began. Guess what the first cargo was? Food? Fuel? Medicines? Nope — 30 thoroughbred Russian horses, which Kim Jong Un famously loves to ride to look uber-cool in the snow.

500: Thanks to nearby farmers burning crop stubble, air pollution in Delhi has now gotten so bad that the concentration of dangerous inhalable tiny pollutants known as PM2.5 is above "severe" levels of 500 in parts of the city. Of course, it's gotten political, with the AAP party — which runs India's capital — and PM Narendra Modi's ruling BJP party blaming each other for the toxic air.

3: After checking out three nuclear sites in Ukraine, the UN nuclear watchdog found no signs of the "dirty bomb" that Moscow claims Kyiv wants to detonate. Russians and Ukrainians are waging an information war to persuade the world that the other side is planning to commit the atrocity.

5: A BBC reporter came up with five archetypes of Americans and gave them each their own social media account in order to better understand US politics — and Big Tech's influence on voters — ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections. The experiment has sparked a fierce debate among those who think it's unethical journalism and those who value learning how social media companies target voters. What do you think? Tell us here.

More For You

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.

- YouTube

The Iran war has had a ripple effect on the global economy and international relations way beyond the Middle East. Kori Schake of the American Enterprise Institute joins Ian Bremmer to discuss how the conflict is redrawing power for the US, Russia, China, and America's allies.

Three months into the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz is in a standoff and the geopolitical fallout is spreading fast. Kori Schake of the American Enterprise Institute breaks down with Ian Bremmer what the conflict means for US power and the ambitions of Russia and China.