Hard Numbers: Swiss endorse COVID certificate law, Japan ups defense budget, Canada's maple syrup emergency, New Zealand MP's no fuss delivery

Demonstrators protest against a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) law that is voted on in a referendum, in front of the Swiss Federal Palace, the Bundeshaus, in Bern, Switzerland, November 28, 2021.

63: Early results of a national referendum found that 63 percent of Swiss voters back legislation mandating residents show proof of vaccination, a negative test result, or recovery from COVID to enter public spaces. Amid a surge in COVID cases, the Swiss government has opted not to impose new restrictions as other European states have done.

6.75 billion: Japan will add a whopping $6.75 billion to its already record-high annual defense budget, a sign of Tokyo's fear of increasing security threats from China and North Korea. Japan's new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has vowed to double Japan's defense expenditure to 2 percent of gross domestic product.

50 million: It's not just oil that's in short supply globally. Amid ongoing supply chain disruptions, the Canadian government will tap into its strategic reserve of maple syrup, releasing 50 million pounds of the liquid gold, half its national stockpile. Canada produces three quarters of the world's maple syrup, but output has slowed because of pandemic-related supply chain issues and a warmer than usual sugaring season.

2: Already experiencing contractions, New Zealand Member of Parliament Julie Anne Genter rode her bicycle to the hospital early Sunday morning, giving birth just one hour later. It's the second time the Greens MP, a dual Kiwi-US citizen, has ridden her bike to hospital during labour, doing the same thing with her first born in 2018.

More from GZERO Media

- YouTube

The 7th annual Paris Peace Forum is getting underway, convening diplomats, academics, and private sector leaders tasked with finding solutions to mounting global crises before conflicts erupt. GZERO’s Tony Maciulis interviewed Justin Vaisse, the organization’s founder and Director General. Top of mind for Vaisse, of course, was Trump’s election and what it means for Europe.

Donald Trump is seen here at a Jets football game next to his campaign manager Susie Wiles, on Oct. 20, 2024. The president-elect has just named Wiles his White House chief of staff.
Evan Vucci/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

At last count — yep, they’re still counting ballots from last week’s US election — Republicans looked set for a clean sweep: taking not only the White House and Senate but possibly the House too. Attention now turns to the president-elect’s naming of names for the first cabinet of “Trump 2.0.”

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian meets with Hamas leader Khaled Mashal, in Doha, Qatar, on Oct. 2, 2024.
West Asia News Agency via Reuters

The Gulf Arab emirate announced this weekend it would stop mediating efforts to broker a cease-fire and hostage release deal between Hamas and Israel until “the parties show their willingness and seriousness to end the brutal war.”

- YouTube

Donald Trump’s historic return to office signals a powerful shift in American politics, raising questions about the future of democracy as both major parties grapple with deep divides and an increasingly anti-establishment electorate. Along with Vanderbilt historian Nicole Hemmer and Wall Street Journal correspondent Molly Ball, Ian Bremmer unpacks the wide range of implications of Trump’s decisive election win.

Climate activists project a message onto the Embassy of Azerbaijan ahead of COP29 climate talks, in London, on Nov. 7, 2024.
REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe

Donald Trump’s election victory will loom large in the minds of delegates at this year’s UN climate conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, from Nov. 11-22. We asked Eurasia Group expert Herbert Crowther how this will affect COP29 and UN efforts to mitigate climate change more broadly.

Digital Saksham — saksham translates to “able” in Hindi — is a collaboration between the Confederation of Indian Industry and Mastercard Strive, a global philanthropic initiative to support small businesses. It’s part of a broader effort by the Indian government to unlock the full potential of micro and small enterprises — and part of Mastercard’s efforts to bring 50 million small businesses into the digital economy by 2025, a goal it recently met. Accessing digital tools can help small businesses scale up, reach new customers, and hire more employees. Read more about these efforts to equip small business owners — especially women — with the tools they need to build their businesses and become financially resilient.

- YouTube

Listen: On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer examines the impact of Donald Trump’s return to office, exploring how his populist victory and the GOP’s control could reshape US governance amid historian Nicole Hemmer’s warning of “accelerating democratic erosion” and journalist Molly Ball's concerns over eroding checks on executive power.

Donald Trump gestures after taking the oath of office during his first inauguration in Washington, DC, in January 2017.

Olivier Douliery/ABACAPRESS.COM via Reuters

The US Justice Department on Friday charged three men with plotting to assassinate Donald Trump on the orders of the Iranian government.