Inflation increased 6.2 percent over the past year; the EU has Belarus in its sights over migration. Tonight's Sentences was written by Ellen Ioanes. Inflation skyrockets at the fastest rate in 30 years Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images - October inflation numbers showed that prices for consumer goods shot up 6.2 percent over the past year, the fastest increase in the past three decades. A global supply chain backup coupled with steady demand for consumer goods are responsible for the dramatic increase. [NPR / Scott Horsley]
- Energy costs, in particular, rose precipitously — 4.8 percent compared to the previous month, and 30 percent over the previous year. Gasoline prices also rose, nearly 50 percent over the previous 12 months and 6.1 percent over the previous year. [Al Jazeera]
- Rent, food prices, and automobiles have also represented major increases in the consumer price index, indicating that the inflation issue is broader than simply consumer goods. Since inflation is spreading to the rental market, that's a sign that it could stick around longer than economists have predicted instead of slowing down by the end of the year. [NYT / Jeanna Smialek]
- The last time inflation increased so rapidly was 1990, three decades ago. Food prices increased 5.3 percent from a year ago, the greatest increase since 2009, and electricity prices rose 1.8 percent from the previous month, the largest increase since 2014. [Bloomberg / Olivia Rockeman]
- In order to address the inflation, the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve, has begun the process of "tapering," or reducing the number of Treasury assets it purchases to support the economic recovery from Covid-19. It's possible that next year will see a rise in interest rates, especially if inflation doesn't dissipate as officials have predicted it would. [WSJ / Gwynn Guilford]
- Wage increases driven by the pandemic and the renewed power of labor can also be driven by inflation. But in this case, the pace and extent of the inflation can also cancel out those wage increases. [Washington Post / Eli Rosenberg]
EU threatens sanctions over Belarus's migrant-fueled "hybrid warfare" - Belarus, the Eastern European state ruled by Aleksandr Lukashenko, risks sanctions from the European Union because it's pushing migrants from the Middle East toward its border with Poland, an EU nation. [BBC]
- Many of the migrants are Kurds and Syrians; both groups are fleeing poverty, violence, and persecution and hope to make a better life in the EU. But their route — from the Middle East to Belarus and then on to Poland — suggests that Lukashenko is directing this flow of migrants. [NYT / Anton Troianovski, Monika Pronczuk, and Jane Arraf]
- Around 3,500 migrants are stuck at Belarus's border with Poland, although some are being sent to Latvia's and Lithuania's borders as well. According to Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins, Belarus's actions amount to "state-sponsored human trafficking"; other leaders accuse Lukashenko's regime of weaponizing migration, likely to retaliate for EU sanctions against the regime over the rigged 2020 election and subsequent brutal crackdown on protests. [AP / Vanessa Gera, Monika Scislowska, and Geir Moulson]
- Now, the EU is preparing further sanctions, accusing Belarus of using "hybrid warfare" as a legal justification for the additional measures. In response to the EU's accusations, Belarus has blamed the bloc for the crisis, and Russia has sent bombers to Belarussian airspace. [Reuters / Alan Charlish and Robin Emmott]
Vox has informed me, challenged me, and made me think about things I would never have. —Maru, Vox Contributor A federal judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump can't exercise executive privilege over documents related to the January 6 attacks on the capital. [Politico / Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein] - Scott Fairlamb, a New Jersey MMA fighter who punched a police officer during the capital riot, was given a 41-month prison sentence Wednesday, the longest yet for anyone involved in the riot. [CNN / Holmes Lybrand and Hannah Rabinowitz]
- Ethiopian authorities have detained 72 drivers working for the World Food Program in the Tigray region, in a further escalation of the yearlong civil war. [Al Jazeera]
- The United Nations has paid Afghan health workers $8 million over the past month, bypassing the Taliban government. [Reuters / Michelle Nichols]
"Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President." America is uniquely obsessed with "freedom." Why is that? Sean Illing discusses with Sebastian Junger, journalist, filmmaker, and author of the recent book Freedom. [Spotify] This email was sent to vox@quicklydone.com. Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe. If you value Vox's unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring contribution. View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 11, Washington, DC 20036.
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