Hard Numbers

1.6 million: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the country's civil militia, which supplements its armed forces, has ballooned to 1.6 million members, more than three times its size at the beginning of the year.

Facing a dire economic situation, many Venezuelans have turned to the armed forces as the only reliable source of income.

$100,000: Sunday's election in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which heralds its first transition of power in 17 years, will likely serve to further entrench the power of a ruling elite backing current President Joseph Kabila. Simply to participate in the election, prospective candidates had to pony up $100,000, a prohibitive threshold for almost all except those tied to the deeply corrupt state apparatus.

63: While the high-profile murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi captured a lot of attention, in all, 63 professional journalists were killed in 2018, according to Reporters Without Borders. That's up 15 percent from the previous year.

0: There is currently not a single country in the world in which women have the same economic opportunities as men, according to a new report from the World Economic Forum. The opportunity gap applies at the global level as well: where today there are just 17 female heads of state or prime ministers across the 149 countries tracked by WEF.

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​European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen.

(Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Tuesday named the team that will work with her as she heads into her second term as the EU’s most powerful official.

Fed poised for 50 basis point rate cut

Kyodo

The Federal Reserve appears set to drop its benchmark interest rate by 50 base points today. That lending rate – which influences borrowing costs broadly – can put the economy in a chokehold when rates are high, or stimulate it when lowered.

Microsoft is teaming up with the Institute for Nonprofit News’ Rural News Network to equip local, regional, and statewide newsrooms with additional resources to help them cover the 2024 elections. Supported by Microsoft’s Democracy Forward Program, RNN’s Text RURAL is an SMS-based service that uses AI to send tailored, fact-based news straight to those living in areas where broadband may not yet be readily available. This initiative includes geo-targeted ads, multilingual translations, and multimedia guides to ensure rural voters are well-informed. The network, comprised of over 80 newsrooms, aims to strengthen democracy by providing crucial election information to often overlooked rural areas. Learn more about the technology.

Walmart is helping veterans and military families live better. At Walmart, veterans can access resources and benefits to help them apply their skills and build fulfilling careers. Since 2013, Walmart has hired over 430,000 veterans and in the last year alone the company has promoted over 5,000 veterans into positions of higher pay and greater responsibility. Learn more about Walmart’s commitment to the military community.

- YouTube

Why is Mexico's judiciary overhaul controversial? After losing another parliamentary seat, is Justin Trudeau's time as Canada's leader coming to an end? 2.5 years in, and 1 million now dead or injured. Is Russia's invasion of Ukraine any closer to resolution? Ian Bremmer shares his insights on global politics this week on World In :60.

A blue verification checkmark on Instagram account on Instagram displayed on a laptop screen and Instagram logo displayed on a phone screen are seen in this illustration photo taken in Poland on February 19, 2023.
(Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto)

Remember that embarrassing picture of you on Facebook?

OpenAI ChatGPT website displayed on a laptop screen is seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on September 9, 2024.
(Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto)

A hacker was able to coerce ChatGPT into breaking its own rules — and giving out bomb-making instructions.

A laptop keyboard and Google logo displayed on a phone screen are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on September 9, 2024.
Jakub Porzycki via Reuters Connect

Ireland’s data privacy authority has opened an inquiry into Google’s artificial intelligence practices.