Hard Numbers: Super Bowl milestone, Argentina’s birth tourism, Gabrielle pummels New Zealand, Cyprus votes

Philadelphia Eagles starJalen Hurts during the warm up before the Super Bowl.
Philadelphia Eagles starJalen Hurts during the warm up before the Super Bowl.
REUTERS/Brian Snyder

2: For the first time in history, the two starting quarterbacks in the Super Bowl on Sunday were Black. It’s a historic milestone for a sport traditionally plagued by racist hypotheses about intelligence and leadership.

5,000: More than 5,000 Russian women in the late stages of pregnancy have entered Argentina in recent months in hopes of delivering there, which would give the infants automatic Argentine citizenship – and fast track citizenship for the parents. Argentine authorities are reportedly carrying out raids on shady “birth tourism” operators that provide pregnant women with fake documentation to enter the country.

18: Tens of thousands of New Zealanders have been left without power as severe storm Gabrielle (hello!) pummels the north and makes its way toward Auckland, the most populous city. Authorities expect up to 18 inches of rain in some areas and nightmarish wind conditions.

52: Former Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides – an independent formerly of the right-wing DISY party – reaped 52% in a runoff vote on Sunday to become Cyprus' new president. He beat independent Andreas Mavroyiannis, a former representative to the UN, whose backing by a party with communist roots could have alienated some voters. Christodoulides will have his job cut out for him in reviving stalled reunification talks with Northern Cyprus and in tackling inflation.

More from GZERO Media

Chart of the most consequential Supreme Court cases of 2025.
Eileen Zhang

The 2025 Supreme Court term began this month, ushering in a slate of cases that could reshape American governance. No one will be watching more closely than President Donald Trump, whose efforts to expand executive power and limit independent oversight will be under the judicial microscope.

Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga addresses delegates after President William Ruto signed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Amendment Bill 2024, backed by the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO), at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, on July 9, 2024.
REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

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.

Earlier this month, Microsoft released the 2025 TechSpark Impact Report, which highlights how the company is assisting regions across the US in achieving these goals. Since its launch, TechSpark has obtained over $700 million in community funding, supported more than 65,000 people in developing digital skills, and, thanks to the work of TechSpark Fellows, catalyzed $249M+ in funding and upskilled 34,600 individuals across 46 communities — highlighting the ripple effect of local leadership and innovation. Learn more about this progress in the 2025 report here.

People walk past a jewelry store in the Diamond District of Manhattan, New York City, USA, on August 6, 2025.
Jimin Kim / SOPA Images via Reuters Connect

GZERO spoke to Eurasia Group’s Commodities Director Tim Puko to better understand why the diamond industry has tanked, and the consequences of this for geopolitics.

- YouTube

In Ask Ian, Ian Bremmer notes that US–China relations are once again on edge. After Washington expanded export controls on Chinese tech firms, Beijing struck back with new limits on critical minerals. President Trump responded by threatening 100% tariffs, then quickly walked them back.

In this episode of The Ripple Effect: Investing in Life Sciences, host Dan Riskin speaks with Patrick Horber, President of Novartis International, and David Gluckman, Vice Chairman of Investment Banking and Global Head of Healthcare at Lazard. Together, they break down the outsized economic impact of life science innovation, from trillions in US bioscience output to China’s meteoric rise as a global R&D hub.