Hard Numbers: US-China trade recriminations, Afghan exodus, Eurozone inflation record, Mexican journalists targeted
$200 billion: The US says China failed to meet its “Phase I” trade deal commitment to increase purchases of certain American goods and services by $200 billion in 2020-2021 compared to 2017 levels. Having met 60% of its commitments, according to some estimates, Beijing says it has done its best to implement the Trump-era deal despite pandemic-related economic disruptions.
1 million: Over a million Afghans have fled southwestern Afghanistan since October, setting off down one of two major migration routes to Iran. Economic collapse and fear of prolonged Taliban rule have prompted the mass exodus in recent months.
4: A Mexican lawyer and journalist was gunned down in the western state of Michoacán on Wednesday, marking the fourth killing of a journalist in the country over the past month. The murders reflect the dangers faced by journalists working amid ongoing political corruption and drug-fueled violence.
5.1: The Eurozone recorded an inflation rate of 5.1% in January, slightly exceeding an earlier record set the month before. Indeed, the rising cost of gas, food and other staples is likely to be a decisive factor in upcoming elections in France.