Milestones

DECLARED

By Swedish authorities, the death of World War II hero Raoul Wallenberg, who is credited with helping thousands of Hungarian Jews flee Nazi-controlled Germany during the Holocaust. Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat, mysteriously vanished 71 years ago. Authorities officially pronounced him dead on Oct. 26 after receiving a request from his family to do so.

SETTLED

A lawsuit between McDonald’s and franchise workers, for the first time ever. McDonald’s has agreed to pay $3.75 million to settle a 2014 lawsuit filed in federal court that alleges hundreds of McDonald’s franchise employees in California were duped out of wages and overtime pay.

GROWN

The U.S. economy, by the fastest rate in two years. The 2.9% rate of growth in the third quarter of 2016 could make it more likely that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates before the end of the year. The Commerce Department’s announcement on Oct. 28 surpassed the 2.6% rate that economists had predicted.

SHRUNK

Global wildlife populations, by almost 60% in 40 years, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The conservation group said in a new report that populations of mammals, birds and fish dropped by 58% from 1970 to 2012 because of human activity. The organization forecast that the world could lose more than two-thirds of wildlife populations by 2020.