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Hard Numbers: US economy down, Bennett picks up his tab, no ransom in Nigeria, South Koreans spy for North

April 28, 2022
Carlos Santamaria
Hard Numbers: US economy down, Bennett picks up his tab, no ransom in Nigeria, South Koreans spy for North
Paige Fusco

1.4: US economic growth shrank by 1.4% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2022, the first contraction since the pandemic began. Bad news for President Biden, but a recession can still be avoided if Americans keep spending, hiring remains strong, and wages keep pace with inflation.

7,400: Israel's PM Naftali Bennett says he'll pay for his own meals from now on after running up a $7,400 monthly food tab covered by taxpayer money. Bennett, a self-made millionaire who still lives in his private residence, claims to spend three times less per month than his predecessor Bibi Netanyahu, famous for his lavish lifestyle.

15: Nigeria has updated its terror law in a bid to fix its kidnapping problem. Anyone who pays a ransom now faces a minimum 15-year sentence, and abductors who kill now face the death penalty.

2: Two South Koreans have been arrested for allegedly passing secrets to the North. The pair — a crypto CEO and an army officer — are accused of sharing login details for South Korea's joint military command in exchange for a hefty payday in Bitcoin.

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