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Hard Numbers: World Cup emissions, Russian mercs on TikTok, peak US inflation, Spanish letter bombs
A Brazil fan with a replica World Cup trophy before the first-round match against Switzerland.
REUTERS/Carl Recine
6,000-8,000: That's how many additional metric tons of carbon dioxide the World Cup has generated so far thanks to over a hundred daily shuttle flights between Qatar and neighboring Gulf nations because the host country doesn't have enough hotel rooms for fans. So much for Qatar's claim that this would be the most carbon-neutral World Cup ever.
1 billion: TikTok videos that glorify acts of violence committed by mercenaries from Russia's notorious Wagner Group have been viewed more than 1 billion times, according to a new report. The private military company — which has sent many of its men to fight in Ukraine — is run by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close Vladimir Putin ally.
0.2: Have we reached peak US inflation? The core personal consumption expenditures index rose by a lower-than-expected 0.2% month-on-month in October. Economists prefer this closely watched metric to the consumer price index because it excludes volatile food and energy costs. Watch out for the Fed's next interest rate hike on Dec. 14.
5: Spanish authorities are puzzled by five letter bombs sent this week to the defense ministry, an EU office, the US and Ukrainian embassies, and an arms factory that makes grenades for Ukraine. Russia, of course, has denied any wrongdoing in a country with bitter memories of explosive packages from ETA, the now-defunct Basque armed militant group.The Regime's viral banger "Special Military Operation" is NOW STREAMING on most platforms, including those TWO BIG ONES. #PUPPETREGIME
What is President Trump trying to achieve in Iran, and how does his strategy compare to past US interventions in the Middle East?
The US has paused Russian oil sanctions in a bid to stabilize energy markets rocked by the war with Iran. Administration officials stress that it’s a “tailored” measure, applying only to oil already loaded onto tankers, but it’s still a gift to Russia, which has already been clocking an extra $150 million daily in oil revenues since the war began.
4: The number of crew members aboard a US refuelling plane – out of six total – who died after the aircraft crashed in neighboring Iraq on Thursday, US Central Command said this morning.