A glance at the week that was
Buenos Aires turns to burgers
The Big Mac Index has long been a useful guide for evaluating countries’ cost of living, and the annual report by the Economist has become a key measure of relative inflation rates. In a bizarre effort to massage the statistics, however, it looks like Argentina’s minister for commerce has persuaded McDonald’s to freeze the price of Big Macs there: they have cost 20 pesos for the past few months, even though the chain’s other sandwiches have jumped to about 35 pesos. Managing the official inflation rate is important; now it looks as if managing the country’s performance in the Big Mac Index is just as critical.
The numbers
17.4mNumber of people out of workin the euro zone. At 10.9 per cent, it's the highest rate since the currency's foundation.
10.8bn Exchequer tax revenue, in euro, so far this year, a 12.4 per cent increase on the same period in 2011.
11Number of Tony Award nominationsfor Once, the Broadway adaptation of the hit Irish indie film from 2007.
102,348The size, in square metres, of the "Euro Chinese Trading Hub"outside Athlone, which received planning permission this week.
57Number of alleged victims of human traffickinghere last year, says the Department of Justice.
381The height, in metres, reached by One World Trade Center, aka Freedom Tower, on Monday, making it the tallest building in New York.
5Number of days US student Daniel Chong was accidentally left in a holding cellwithout food, water or access to a toilet after being arrested on drug offences.
We now know
Noma, René Redzepi's restaurant in Copenhagen, has been voted the best in the world for the third year in a row.
Chewing gum can impair short-term memory, according to scientists at the University of Cardiff.
Miss Ireland has to be aged 24 or under when she goes on to represent her country at Miss World, as Miss Mayo, Máire Hughes, found out when she was stripped of the national title this week.
Most read on irishtimes.com
1 The bleak future of the Irish university
2 Priest apologises over gay porn
3 Operation Twickenham green for go
4 'I'm not anything like her . . .'
5 Euro-Chinese 'trading hub' secures planning go-ahead
6 BoI agrees €152,000 mortgage write-down with Dublin nurse
7 Noma voted world's best restaurant
8 Vatican loud on liberals but silent on abuse
9 House prices undervalued by up to 26%, says bank
10 Bono sat in at yacht meeting on Savoy sale
Rankings calculated from April 27 to May 4
