$1 trillion: Tesla shareholders approved a $1-trillion pay package for owner Elon Musk, a move that is set to make him the world’s first trillionaire – if the company meets certain targets. The pay will come in the form of stocks. Musk had threatened to quit Tesla if shareholders didn’t approve the package.
30: During a visit to the White House on Thursday, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said he expects to sign the Abraham Accords, an agreement that normalizes relations between Arab nations and Israel. To eagle-eyed observers, this is a rather odd move: In addition to not being an Arab country, Kazakhstan has already had full diplomatic ties with Israel for 30 years. The idea, however, is reportedly to give some momentum to the accords, as the US encourages Saudi Arabia to join them.
5: Typhoon Kalmaegi, which tore through the Philippines earlier this week, is now smashing through Vietnam, killing at least five in the communist Southeast Asian country. The Central Highlands region, where lots of coffee is produced, was largely spared. Meanwhile the death toll in the Philippines keeps rising, reaching 188, with another 100 missing.
1.1 million: US employers have made 1.1 million job cuts so far this year, according to Challenger Gray and Christmas, a major outplacement firm. That’s the highest since the pandemic – these types of numbers in the past have indicated the US economy is in, or nearing, a recession.
Over 100: Protests in Tanzania against the election results have turned deadly. Estimates vary on the death toll in the East African nation of 67 million people: Amnesty International confirmed at least 100 deaths, a security source said the number was above 500, while the opposition party said over 700 people had been killed. The opposition has accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan of campaign repression – she won 97% of the Oct. 29 vote, per the official tally.
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.