That’s how long negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership have dragged on, as negotiators have tried to work out the details of various sticking points, like sugar, dairy and state-owned enterprises. What has been called the final round of negotiations will wrap up Friday in Maui, Hawaii.
That’s how many moms will be selected by McDonald’s Japan to tour its facilities. Some of the winners will even receive trips to the U.S. and Thailand. It’s part of a larger effort by the company to combat a dramatic drop in business — the hope is to gain some positive PR from the mothers’ perspective, which is “watchful, critical and honest at the same time,” in the words of CEO Sarah Casanova. As the Wall Street Journal reports, June saw a 23 percent drop in same-store sales from the same month a year earlier.
In some cases, that’s how much the cost of a Gibson guitar has increased with newer models in recent years. Part of the reason for the cost increase is a self-tuning mechanism — push a button, and your guitar automatically tunes itself. But some instrumentalists argue that it’s an unnecessary technology, as smartphone apps allow for precise tuning without the extra gadget.
That’s the fatality rate of batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, a fungus, among wildfire salamanders. The fungus has decreased populations of frogs, newts and salamanders around the world, and in some cases, is responsible for the wiping out entire species. As UPI reports, scientists in California have now asked for a ban on importing salamanders until a plan is in place to address the spread of the fungus.
That’s how much the Puerto Rican government is due to repay on Monday to bondholders — it reportedly is preparing statements saying it will not be able to make the payment. One particular difficulty for the economy of the commonwealth is that it lacks an industry outside of tourism.
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