80,000: The number of people estimated to be in the streets of Czechia on Sunday to show their support for President Petr Pavel after he blocked the nomination of an environmental minister who performed the Nazi salute and posted Nazi memorabilia. The drama is emblematic of the deepening polarization between the pro-European Union president and eurosceptic Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.
$500 million: The amount that a firm tied to the UAE – with the backing of an Abu Dhabi royal – invested in the Trump family’s crypto firm, four days before US President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. The deal, which hadn’t been reported until this weekend, was signed by Eric Trump andhanded the firm a 49% stake in the company. This is the first time a foreign government official had taken a major ownership stake in an incoming president’s company.
48%: The proportion of the vote that conservative candidate Laura Fernández currently holds following the first round of Costa Rica’s presidential election yesterday, comfortably clearing the 40% threshold required to win without a runoff. It’s the first time a candidate has achieved this in over a decade. For more on where Costa Rica’s politics are headed, read here.
14: The margin of victory for Democrat Taylor Rehmet in Saturday’s special election in a state legislative race in Texas. Why do we mention a local race? Trump carried the district by 17 points in 2024, so the astonishing swing – 31 points – could be something of a warning sign for Republicans ahead of the November midterms.
11%: The minimum-wage hike Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has promised in a series of pre-election benefits as he looks to catch up to the opposition Tisza party’s double-digit polling lead before April’s election. He also padded tax benefits for families and pensions for retirees, costing an amount worth 2% of the country’s GDP.In his latest Quick Take, Ian Bremmer examines the stability of US-China relations and why he believes the period of relative calm between the two countries may be coming to an end.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul quickly responded by vowing tougher gun-control legislation and a renewed crackdown on illegal weapons.
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US-backed negotiations are opening a possible path to democratic elections in Venezuela – even as the country’s most popular opposition leader remains outside the room.