☰
HomeLiving Beyond BordersGZERO WorldSignalIn 60 SecondsPuppet RegimeGZERO World PodcastContact UsAbout UsCareersPrivacy PolicyTerms

Hard Numbers: China’s quantum leap, Russian cease-fire, North Korean drones, Argentine peso canvas

January 05, 2023
Carlos Santamaria
Japanese electronics giant Hitachi displays a silicon wafer of quantum computer chips at its laboratory in Tokyo.
Japanese electronics giant Hitachi displays a silicon wafer of quantum computer chips at its laboratory in Tokyo.
Yoshio Tsunoda/AFLO via REUTERS

24: A group of 24 Chinese researchers claims to have cracked the code for the most common form of online encryption with the current generation of quantum computers. If true, this means that government secrets are up for grabs for whoever has the tech until more powerful quantum computing allows tougher encryption.

36: Starting Friday, Russia will observe a 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine for Russian Orthodox Christmas. This is Vladimir Putin’s response to a plea by Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kyiv says it's an attempt to stop its advancements and has rejected the cease-fire.

2.2: A North Korean drone briefly penetrated a 2.2-mile radius no-fly zone around the residence of South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol. The South Korean military has gotten an earful because it failed to down the drones — the first to penetrate the South’s airspace since 2017 — despite scrambling fighter jets and attack helicopters.

1,000: Argentina's local currency has become so worthless that a local artist is using even the highest-denomination bill of 1,000 pesos (equivalent to $3 on the black market) as a canvas for paintings. Don't miss his take on the iconic poster from the 1975 US film "Jaws."

More from GZERO Media

Trump is leading a political revolution. Will he succeed?

The biggest story of our G-Zero world, Ian Bremmer explains, is that the United States – still the world’s most powerful nation – has chosen to walk away from the international system it built and led for three-quarters of a century. Not because it's weak. Not because it has to. But because it wants to.

Hard Numbers: Tragic car crash in Uganda, Europe’s largest economy turns east, Peru initiates state of emergency in capital city, & More

Wreckage of public transport buses involved in a head-on collision is parked at a police station near the scene of the deadly crash on the Kampala-Gulu highway in Kiryandongo district, near Gulu, northern Uganda, October 22, 2025.
REUTERS/Stringer

A horrific multi-vehicle crash on the Kampala-Gulu Highway in Uganda late last night has left 46 people dead. The pile up began after two buses traveling in opposite directions reportedly clashed “head on” as they tried to overtake two other vehicles.

Everything you need to know about China’s next 5-year plan

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with China's President Xi Jinping during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

As China’s Communist Party gathers this week to draft the country’s 15th five-year plan, the path it’s charting is clear: Beijing wants to develop dominance over 21st century technologies, as its economy struggles with the burgeoning US trade war, a slow-boil real-estate crisis, and weak consumer demand.

Walmart is supporting American jobs by selling American products

Walmart

When Walmart stocks its shelves with homegrown products like Fischer & Wieser’s peach jam, it’s not just selling food — it’s creating opportunity. Over two-thirds of what Walmart buys is made, grown, or assembled in America, fueling jobs and growth in communities nationwide. Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to US manufacturing is supporting 750,000 jobs and empowering small businesses to sell more, hire more, and strengthen their hometowns. From farms to shelves, Walmart’s investment keeps local businesses thriving. Learn how Walmart's commitment to US manufacturing is supporting 750K American jobs.

Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025

Microsoft

Last week, Microsoft released its 2025 Digital Defense Report, highlighting the evolving cybersecurity landscape and Microsoft's commitment to defending against emerging threats. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the current threat environment, including identity and access threats, human-operated attacks, ransomware, fraud, social engineering, and nation-state adversary threats. It also outlines advancements in AI for cyber-attack and defense, as well as the emerging cybersecurity threat of quantum technology. The report emphasizes the need for international collaboration, proactive regulatory alignment, and the development of new tools and practices to enhance cybersecurity resilience. Explore the report here.

Could Saudi Arabia join the Abraham Accords?

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs the inaugural session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 10, 2025.

Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

There are a lot of good vibes between the United States and Saudi Arabia right now. Whether that stretches to the Riyadh normalizing relations with Israel is another matter.

About UsCareers PressContact Us Privacy PolicyTerms of Use
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.