Trending Now
We have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for Eurasia Group and its affiliates, including GZERO Media, to clarify the types of data we collect, how we collect it, how we use data and with whom we share data. By using our website you consent to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, including the transfer of your personal data to the United States from your country of residence, and our use of cookies described in our Cookie Policy.
{{ subpage.title }}
A woman cleans thick mud, in the aftermath of floods caused by heavy rains, in Sedavi, near Valencia, Spain, November 3, 2024.
Hard Numbers: Spaniards furious over floods, Muscovites steal pricy butter, Argentina cuts interest rates, Marriage rate drops in China, Japanese cyclists face fines, Incumbent wins in Moldova
210: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VIhad to cut short visits to flood-ravaged Valencia on Sunday after furious crowds “heckled and attacked” Sanchez and pelted Felipe with mud. Many locals feel authorities failed to heed warnings of torrential rains and act before floods tore out bridges and sent walls of water crashing through hillside communities, killing over 210 people.
34: Butter prices in Moscow have risen by 34% since the start of the year to 239.96 roubles (US$2.45), according to receipts reviewed by Reuters, as defense spending on Russia’s war with Ukraine drives up costs (official figures show a more modest but still painful 25.7% rise). Shoplifting has also soared, with some stores now placing the staple food in anti-theft containers. Talk about guns vs. butter!
35: Argentina’s central bank on Friday lowered its benchmark interest rate to 35% from 40%, its first cut in nearly six months as monthly inflation declined to 3.5% in September from 25.5% last December. While good news for consumers, economists say the move makes it harder for President Javier Milei to lift currency controls and won’t help his government negotiate a new deal with the IMF.
943,000: Marriage registrations in China dropped by nearly a million in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, totaling 4.747 million couples. Economic uncertainty and high prices are prompting many young Chinese not to tie the knot, undermining Beijing’s efforts to boost a shrinking population.
6: Cell phones, sake, and cycling don’t mix! Cyclists who text and ride in Japan could face six months in jail or a fine of 100,000 yen (US$655) under a new law, and drinking and riding could net a term of up to three years or a penalty of 500,000 yen (US$3,278).54.35: Pro-EU incumbent Maia Sandu won reelection in Moldova on Sunday with 54.35% of the vote, a resounding victory that gives Sandu a mandate in her pursuit of accession to the European Union. Russia attempted to sway the election by backing Sandu’s anti-EU opponent, but Moldovans in the diaspora seem to have played a key role in ensuring Sandu stayed in power.
Cars lie partially submerged after floods in Utiel, Spain, on Oct. 30, 2024.
Hard Numbers: Spain’s deadly floods, UK’s giant tax hike, Allegations of Israel misusing US arms, Scary candy bar prices
40 billion: UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday announced a whopper of a tax increase: £40 billion (US$52 billion). This is the biggest British tax hike since 1993, and wealthy Brits and business owners will bear the brunt. But Reeves also boosted the health care budget for day-to-day operations of the NHS by £22.6 billion and slotted £5 billion for house building.
500: Are US-supplied weapons being used in Israeli attacks against civilians in Gaza? The White House has 500 reports from government, aid organizations, nonprofits, media, and other eyewitnesses alleging this. Still, the State Department hasn’t taken action on any single case, and more than two-thirds of them remain unresolved, according to a Washington Post report.
45: Americans looking to dole out tasty chocolate treats to costumed kiddies tonight likely had a scare before Halloween — at the checkout. The price of chocolate and confectionary products with cocoa jumped 45% between January and September, according to the producer price index. So those Snickers, KitKats, and M&Ms won’t need to be decorated in spookily decorated foil to cause plenty of fright.