73: The Ipsos Global Worry survey, published in July, showed that 73 percent of Swedes said the country was headed in the wrong direction—the fifth worst result among 28 countries surveyed. Sweden holds national elections this weekend. The lead issues are immigration and climate change.
71: The 2017 report from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association lists 72 countries and territories where same-sex relationships remain criminalized. Make that 71. India's Supreme Court ruled this week that gay sex is no longer a criminal offence.
49: A court in Genoa ordered the permanent seizure of €49 million from Italy’s far-right League as a result of fraud charges. Judges say that funds the state reimbursed for elections between 2008 and 2010 were misappropriated for personal use, such as the purchase of diamonds and gold bars. Matteo Salvini, the party’s de facto leader and Italy’s Interior Minister, is considering changing the party’s name to avoid paying the bill.
1/3: Beginning next week, Russia and China will begin the Vostok-2018 joint military exercises in eastern Siberia, the largest war games in decades. The exercise will include 300,000 Russian troops—one third of the country’s armed forces. It will also feature 1,000 Russian aircraft, 36,000 Russian tanks, 3,200 Chinese troops and 900 Chinese tanks.
