The numbers speak for themselves.

(Baonghean) - The world last week revolved around controversial figures. From numbers affecting the entire world in the US presidential election to low-denomination banknotes in India, all had a significant impact on politics and economics.

Jill Stein campaigning in Illinois in September. Photo: Reuters

Will the US recount votes in 3 battleground states?

On November 25th, former presidential candidate Jill Stein officially requested a recount of the presidential election votes in Wisconsin and announced she would request a similar process in Pennsylvania and Michigan – both states where the results favored Donald Trump.

On her Twitter page, Ms. Stein confirmed that the recount would begin next week. This information was confirmed by the Wisconsin state election commission and is expected to be completed no later than December 13th. Ms. Stein also stated that she has raised $4.8 million out of the $7 million needed to cover the recount costs in the three states mentioned.

Various technologies are used in the US presidential election. Photo: Reuters

According to her, election experts have identified "statistical anomalies" leading to concerns about the security of the election system. She also explained that the purpose of the vote counting campaign was not to attack or deny Trump's victory, but rather to examine the entire vote counting process. For example, some of the equipment used in Wisconsin was banned in California due to the risk of data theft or software reinstallation by hackers.

In an interview with CNN, Stein asserted, "This election has been the target of numerous cyberattacks," and that her actions were not intended to oppose Donald Trump or support Hillary Clinton.

Meanwhile, Democrats are also expressing skepticism about a result suggesting that Hillary Clinton had surpassed Donald Trump by 2 million votes, but the final outcome was reversed due to a shortage of the necessary electoral votes.

Specifically, Trump won 290 electoral votes compared to Clinton's 232. The three states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, where Stein called for recounts, are also crucial battleground states that contributed to the difference between the two candidates. Therefore, could a recount in these three states reverse the situation in the US presidential election?

At this point, the official numbers from the first round of vote counting have not yet been released. The electors will meet on December 19th, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, Donald Trump will move into the White House on January 20th, 2017.

India's economy reels after the cancellation of two currency denominations.

The Indian economy is in a dilemma after the Prime Minister decided to abolish the 500 and 1,000 rupee notes (equivalent to approximately 172,500 and 350,000 Vietnamese dong respectively). This corresponds to an 80% reduction in the amount of cash in circulation.

These days, businesses across India are in a gloomy state. People line up at ATMs to get 2,000 rupee notes (equivalent to 700,000 VND). These brand-new notes are practically unusable – simply because no one has change to give back. The result: winter has arrived, but farmers cannot afford seeds, fertilizer, or other farming expenses.

Indian citizens line up to receive 2,000 rupee banknotes – which are practically unusable for daily expenses. Photo: AFP

According to experts, the cancellation of the 500 and 1,000 rupee banknotes will severely impact India's economic growth in 2016.

While GDP growth was predicted to reach 7.9% at the beginning of the year, analysts now dare to offer a modest figure of 6.8% – a drop of more than 1%, which will certainly cause India to fall behind China in the race.

Significantly, the cancellation of the two most commonly used banknotes will have no impact on the market for illicit and counterfeit money, the Indian Finance Minister asserted. Even former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2004-2014) acknowledged the urgency of the situation, stating: “The way this measure has been implemented is a complete mistake, a huge mismanagement error.”

He also predicted that the action would result in a 2% drop in India's growth – an assessment shared by the opposition-controlled majority in the Senate.

However, in stark contrast to local officials, the International Monetary Fund welcomed Modi's decision, calling it a necessary step to combat "corruption and illicit money flows."

Hai Trieu

(According to Le Monde)