Hard Numbers: Oscars go global, Congress does its job, Peru revives the Senate, Mauritania gets migration money

Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel appears on a billboard in Hollywood as preparations continue for the 96th Academy Awards Awards Los Angeles, California U.S., March 6, 2024. ​

Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel appears on a billboard in Hollywood as preparations continue for the 96th Academy Awards Awards Los Angeles, California U.S., March 6, 2024.

REUTERS/Mike Blake
10,500: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the folks behind the Oscars this weekend) has expanded its member rolls to over 10,500 individuals in over 75 countries, which may help account for the rise in international nominees. However, they still have a long way to go to diversify the Academy’s membership as just 34% of members are women and 18% are from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities.

460,000,000,000: The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a $460 billion spending bill, which is expected to clear the Senate in time to avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend. The bill keeps about a quarter of the government running through September, and legislators will now turn to the lion’s share of federal spending, which must be passed by March 23.

60: Peru will elect 60 new Senators after legislators passed a bill reviving the institution some 30 years after President Alberto Fujimori dissolved it and rewrote the constitution. Half the body will be elected by individual districts, while half will run nationwide races in elections scheduled for 2026.

210,000,000: The European Union has signed a €210 million ($229 million) deal with Mauritania that includes funds to prevent irregular migration from the Saharan nation into Europe. The money will help Mauritania patrol its waters for vessels carrying migrants to Spain’s Canary Islands and is part of a larger EU effort to work with African countries in tackling migration.

More from GZERO Media

Ambassador Robert Wood of the US raises his hand to vote against the ceasefire resolution at the United Nations Security Council, on November 20, 2024.
Lev Radin/Sipa USA, via Reuters
- YouTube

Ukraine has launched US-made long-range missiles into Russia for the first time. Will this change the course of the war? How likely will Trump be able to carry out mass deportations when he's in office? Will there be political fallout from Hong Kong's decision to jail pro-democracy activists? Ian Bremmer shares his insights on global politics this week on World In :60.

A man rushes past members of security forces during clashes between gangs and security forces, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti November 11, 2024.
REUTERS/Marckinson Pierre

The UN Humanitarian Air Service is scheduled to restart flights to Haiti on Wednesday, a week after several planes attempting to land at Port-au-Prince airport came under small arms fire.

People hold signs reading "Trump, we will not pay for the wall" and "Trump, stop the mass deportations" near the border fence between Mexico and the U.S., in Tijuana, Mexico March 13, 2018.
REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

Donald Trump responded “TRUE!!!” to a post on Monday predicting that he would declare illegal immigration a national emergency in order to deploy the military to deport migrants.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on the situation in Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk regions following an incursion of Ukrainian troops, in August 2024.
Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS

The long-prepared move came just hours after Ukraine launched US-made ATACMS long-range missiles into Russia for the first time. Are we headed towards a major escalation?