300,000: More than 300,000 registered nurses in the UK are threatening to go on strike before Christmas if the National Health Service doesn't boost their pay above inflation rates. The likely biggest-ever strike in NHS history might be a major test for newly minted PM Rishi Sunak, whose government is strapped for cash amid record waiting times in British hospitals.
0.3: China's exports unexpectedly dropped in October by 0.3% year-on-year for the first time since May 2020. The decline was driven mainly by lower demand for Chinese goods from the US and the EU, both of which face a possible recession next year.
90: Energy costs for European households have almost doubled in a year, according to a new survey. Gas bills have surged by 111% and electric bills by 69%, with the average cost up by 90% across the continent thanks to the energy fallout from Russia's war in Ukraine.
2: Be careful when making fun of public officials in Nigeria. Two TikTok stars have been sentenced to 20 whip lashes each, a $23 fine, and to clean the court premises for a month for mocking a state governor over alleged corruption, land-grabbing, and ... sleeping on the job.1,170: The number of high-rise buildings in Kyiv that were left without heating following a barrage of Russian attacks last night on Ukraine’s capital and its energy facilities, per Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hold up signed documents regarding securing the supply of critical minerals and rare earths, at a bilateral meeting at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan, October 28, 2025.
Representatives from the European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, and others will meet in Washington this week to discuss a strategic alliance on critical minerals.
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 US has started handing $1,000 to the bank accounts of newborn babies. But can policies like this one help boost sagging birthrates in advanced democracies?