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Hard Numbers: The world’s most “neglected crises,” Eurozone inflation dip, ex-Brazilian president behind bars, AfD comeback in Germany, soccer GOAT in the wilderness

June 01, 2023
Gabrielle Debinski
Sudanese Refugees in the Central African Republic
Sudanese Refugees in the Central African Republic
Reuters

7: Seven of the top 10 most “neglected crises” are in Africa, according to a new report released by the Norwegian Refugee Council, a human rights NGO. It lists jihadist-plagued Burkina Faso, where only 42% of international aid requested has been handed down, as the most neglected, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, and Sudan. NRC’s criteria are based on the lack of global political will, media coverage, and humanitarian funding.

6.1: Inflation in the Eurozone dropped to 6.1% in May year-on-year, down from 7% the previous month. While this suggests that the European Central Bank’s belt-tightening is indeed working, ECB President Christine Lagarde told Europeans to expect more interest rate hikes, decrying still-too-high inflation.

9: Brazil’s former President Fernando Collor de Mello – the country’s first democratically elected head of state (1989-1992) — has been sentenced to almost 9 years in prison for corruption and money laundering. The charges date back to his time as senator (2010-2014) and relate to the broader “Car Wash” scandal, which also led to the conviction of current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that was ultimately overturned by the Supreme Court.

18: Germany's far-right AfD party is now polling at 18% nationwide, behind the ruling center-left SPD and centrist FDP but several points ahead of the Greens. The climate-skeptic, pro-nuclear AfD has benefited from fiercely opposing the energy and climate policies of the federal coalition government (formed by the SPD, FDP, and the Greens).

2: Soccer GOAT Leo Messi is reportedly leaving Paris Saint-Germain after two lackluster seasons with the French club. Where will Argentina's World Cup-winning captain go? Most likely, he’ll either return to FC Barcelona or accept an offer from Saudi Arabia — which could open a geopolitical can of worms with the Qatari owners of PSG.

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