Crikey

What a treat — the week’s news condensed into this nifty set of numbers:

$US12 billion: the amount the Federal Reserve pumped into American banking systems. Yesterday.

2.7 million: the upward estimate of the number of people who die of malaria each year

75%: the number of them that are African children

8: the number of Zimbabwean students at Australian institutions facing deportation as relatives of senior members of the country’s discredited regime.

156: the number of local councils in Queensland now.

72: the number of local councils there will be in Queensland if Premier Peter Beattie has his way.

50%: the number of existing Queensland councils that cover populations of fewer than 5000.

62%: the number of Bulgarians aged up to 35 who are smokers.

400: the number of litres of water the average American consumes each day.

10: the number of litres of water the average resident of the developing world consumes each day.

4%: the portion of the Queensland Senate vote Pauline Hanson requires to receive federal electoral funding.

$2.05: the amount Pauline Hanson would receive for each vote if she makes the 4% quota.