Hard Numbers

Hard Numbers: Malawi VP’s dead in plane crash, Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit, Gaza pier aid paused, Nvidia stock split, Snow in Alabama

Malawi's Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima arrives at a polling station in Lilongwe, Malawi May 21, 2019 in this still image obtained from REUTERS TV video.
Malawi's Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima arrives at a polling station in Lilongwe, Malawi May 21, 2019 in this still image obtained from REUTERS TV video.
REUTERS TV/Eldson Chagara/via REUTERS

10: Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima was one of 10 people killed in a military plane crash after taking off from the capital Lilongwe early Monday. The official search investigation launched after Chilima’s plane “went off the radar” was concluded on Tuesday after the rescue team found the wreck in a mountainous area with no survivors.

90: Next weekend, representatives from 90 countries will travel to Switzerland to participate in a peace summit to develop a path for sustainable peace in Ukraine. Russia said it would not be in attendance (not that it was invited), but thousands of military personnel will be on hand to provide security.

2: The UN’s World Food Program halted aid distribution from the US-built pier off Gaza on Sunday, the day after two of its warehouses were reportedly hit in an Israeli military attack to rescue four Israeli hostages – a mission that also claimed more than 200 Palestinian lives. The pier had just reopened after severe water and winds rendered it nonoperational, and the latest pause will only heighten concerns about the worsening famine in the region.

120: Before markets closed on Friday, AI leading chipmaker Nvidia’s stock was selling at about $1,150, but as of Monday, the stock was split tenfold. This essentially divided each share into 10 $120 shares to make it more affordable for investors without diluting the value of existing shares.

450,000: Over 50 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $450,000 recently washed ashore on Dauphin Island, south of Mobile, Ala. The discovery was made just a day after divers found a similar amount of drugs off the coast of Florida, and a month after $1.2 million worth of cocaine washed up on the same Alabama beach.

More For You

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner, along with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and otherEuropean leaders, pose for a group photo at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, December 15, 2025.
Kay Nietfeld/Pool via REUTERS

The European Union just pulled off something that, a year ago, seemed politically impossible: it froze $247 billion in Russian central bank assets indefinitely, stripping the Kremlin of one of its most reliable pressure points.

Walmart’s $350 billion commitment to American manufacturing means two-thirds of the products we buy come straight from our backyard to yours. From New Jersey hot sauce to grills made in Tennessee, Walmart is stocking the shelves with products rooted in local communities. The impact? Over 750,000 American jobs - putting more people to work and keeping communities strong. Learn more here.

Of all the threats to the world, what are the top 10 most urgent global risks for 2026? On Monday, January 5, at 12 pm ET, join us for a livestream discussion with Ian Bremmer and global experts to discuss the Top Risks of 2025 report from Eurasia Group. This report will mark twenty years of Ian Bremmer’s annual forecast of the political risks that are most likely to play out over the year. Event link: gzeromedia.com/toprisks

In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Ed Policy, President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers, to discuss how purpose-driven leadership and innovation are shaping the future of one of the world’s most iconic sports franchises. Ed shares how technology and community-focused initiatives, from Titletown Tech to health and safety innovations on the field, are transforming not just the game of football, but the economy and culture of Green Bay itself. He explains how combining strategic vision with investment in local startups is keeping talent in the Midwest and creating opportunities that extend far beyond Lambeau Field.

Subscribe and find new episodes monthly, wherever you listen to podcasts.