Portrait of the Week: Budget Leaks, Prisoner Releases and Israel Kills Hamas Leader

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Finance Minister Rachel Reeves was expected to freeze tax thresholds in the budget on October 30 to boost government revenue by bringing more workers into higher tax brackets. Before forming a government, Labor had said that by freezing tax thresholds the Conservatives were “raiding the pockets of working people”. Weeks of budget speculation have been fueled by leaks and by constant questioning of ministers about how Labor would deliver on its manifesto commitment not to raise taxes on “working people” through increases in income tax, National Insurance or VAT to increase. The International Monetary Fund raised its growth forecast for the UK to 1.1 percent this year, compared with 0.7 percent three months ago. National debt rose to £16.6bn last month, up from the £15.1bn predicted. HSBC divides its operations into Eastern and Western markets.

The government released 1,100 more prisoners early to ease overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales. Shabana Mahmood, the justice minister, announced a sentencing review led by former Conservative justice minister David Gauke. It has been revealed that Chris Kaba, the man who was shot dead by a police firearms officer in Streatham, south London, on September 5, 2022, had shot a man in both legs at the Oval Space nightclub in Hackney six days earlier. Sergeant Martyn Blake was acquitted of murder this week after a trial in which the jury knew nothing about Kaba's criminal career. The Serious Fraud Office investigated the construction of a hotel and conference center in Birmingham by union Unite using £112 million of its members' funds. The complex has since been valued at £29 million.

The most effective drug for Alzheimer's disease, donanemab, is not issued by the National Health Service due to cost reasons. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, will vote against legalizing euthanasia because he is concerned about the state of palliative care. A man died when the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth train hit the stationary Machynlleth to Shrewsbury train. In the seven days to October 21, 695 migrants arrived in England in small boats. A baby died when a boat with 66 people on board capsized off Wissant in the Pas-de-Calais region. An 11-year-old from Cardiff was unable to attend class because she did not have a smartphone to use in class.

Abroad

Israel killed Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who planned the attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel stepped up its attacks against Hamas in northern Gaza and attacked sites linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel said millions of dollars in cash and gold were stored in a hidden Hezbollah bunker beneath Al-Sahel Hospital in Beirut. Amos Hochstein, US President Joe Biden's special envoy for the Middle East, flew to Beirut to reach a negotiated end to the war in Lebanon “as quickly as possible.” Confidential documents were leaked that showed the United States' assessment of Israel's plans to attack Iran.

According to South Korea, the first 1,500 North Korean soldiers arrived in Russia to fight against Ukraine. In a referendum, Moldova approved the changes to its constitution with 50.46 percent and thereby committed itself to joining the EU; On the same day, Maia Sandu, the incumbent pro-EU president, won the first round of presidential elections with 41 percent to 26 percent for her closest rival. EU membership also played a role in the election campaign for the elections in Georgia on October 26th. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen invited incumbent Chancellor Karl Nehammer and the leader of the conservative People's Party to form a government, even though the right-wing Freedom Party had received the most votes with 29 percent.

Donald Trump's campaign for the US presidency complained to the Federal Election Commission about “blatant foreign interference” by British Labor Party activists campaigning for Kamala Harris in America. Cubans suffered from power outages for days. During a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra, Lidia Thorpe, an Australian Aboriginal senator, shouted at the king: “This is not your country, you are not my king.” Thousands in Sydney turned to greet the royal visitors. Mike Jeffries, 80, the former chief executive of Abercrombie & Fitch, and his British partner Matthew Smith, 61, were arrested and charged with sex trafficking of men. CSH