1,000: The maximum amount of gold, in kilograms, that Venezuela’s state-owned mining firm Minerven will send to US markets, in a deal reportedly reached between Washington and Caracas on Monday. It is the latest sign of growing commercial ties between the Trump administration and interim Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodriguez, only two months on from the seizure of Nicolás Maduro.
200: The number of people who have died in a rebel-controlled part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo after heavy rains prompted a landslide at a major mine. Seventy children are among the dead.
⅔: The proportion of Cuba that was plunged into darkness on Wednesday, the latest blackout to hit the fuel-bereft country. Almost all of Havana was without power. The authorities blamed it on a fuel leak at the country’s largest thermoelectric power plant. With the US implementing a de facto oil blockage against Cuba, fuel supplies are running low there – and it’s taking a toll.
7%: The amount that China’s military budget is set to grow in 2026, marking another year in which funding for armed forces will increase at a faster rate than the economy. The buildup comes as Beijing enters a spat with Japan about the future of Taiwan.
Two Iranian drones hit Azerbaijan, Iran’s northern neighbor, on Thursday, injuring four people and expanding the Iran conflict onto another front.
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.
In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer examines what may come next in the US-Israel war with Iran as the Trump administration signals significantly larger military operations ahead.