News
Hard Numbers: ECB rate hike, China-India thaw, Indigenous oil drilling pause, Nigerian donkey penises
ECB President Christine Lagarde addresses a news conference in Frankfurt.
REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
75: The European Central Bank on Thursday raised interest rates by an unprecedented 75 basis points, which means some Europeans will shell out more for their mortgages. Following the US Federal Reserve’s path, the ECB also warned of further hikes until inflation cools.
16: After 16 rounds of commander-level talks, China and India have finally begun withdrawing their troops from a key friction point along their disputed Himalayan border. Two years ago, Chinese and Indian soldiers had their first bloody clash there since the 1960s.
16: Ecuador's government reached a deal with Indigenous groups to stop drilling at 16 oil blocks located on their territory and to suspend approvals for new projects. In return, President Guillermo Lasso hopes Indigenous leaders will call off broader protests over soaring inflation that have slowed oil production to a trickle.
7,000: After noticing a pungent stench from the packages, Nigerian customs officials seized 7,000 donkey penises bound for Hong Kong. Traditional Chinese medicine believes the genitals of certain male animals — especially tigers — can boost sexual virility.Tune in on Saturday, February 14th at 12pm ET/6pm CET for the live premiere of our Global Stage from the 2026 Munich Security Conference, where our panel of experts takes aim at the latest global security challenges.
Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it.
At the Munich Security Conference, the mood is clear: Europe no longer assumes the United States will lead. In this Quick Take, Ian Bremmer reports from Munich, where this year’s theme, “Under Destruction,” reflects growing anxiety that the US itself is destabilizing the transatlantic alliance it once anchored.
Every year, the Munich Security Conference, the world’s leading forum on international security, releases data that sheds light on how citizens view global risks.