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.
Can the US beat China in the AI race without putting democracy itself at risk? Former White House Special Advisor on AI joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.
Can sovereignty and cooperation go together? Franck Paris, the new director general of the Paris Peace Forum, says sovereignty without cooperation is "just an illusion."
Last month, Microsoft and Cyberlite launched their expanded AI Classroom Toolkit for educators. The toolkit focuses on the critical thinking skills needed to navigate an increasingly AI-powered world, with classroom-ready scenarios that help students learn how to evaluate AI-generated content, verify information, trace claims to reliable sources, and make informed decisions about what to trust online. The initiative is part of Microsoft’s broader work to help young people use AI safely and responsibly, while strengthening the judgment they need to participate confidently in an evolving digital environment. Read more here.
In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer breaks down the New York Times investigation into Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's relationship with a Chinese tech executive that the US government believes was a spy for China.