Democrats appear eager for someone other than Biden to be the party’s 2024 presidential nominee…reports Asian Lite News
Most Democrats don’t want President Joe Biden to run again in 2024 but appear eager for someone other than him to be the nominee as his new approval ratings hit another new low among liberals.
Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be the top contender against Governor Gavin Newsom of California as she is Biden’s trusted loyal and rides high on abortion rights and black voters besides being connected to the wealthiest families in New York.
Harris’ fund raising capacity against other candidates is way ahead of others though some of them can match up to her if not exceed her, political analysts say. John Paul Getty’s family (net worth $6 billion – Abigail, Mark and Ivy) and Apple founder Steve Jobs’ wife Laureen Powell Jobs (net worth $7 billion) have funded her throughout her campaigns from California’s AG to the presidential primaries in 2019.
Her toughest rival is Newsom who projects a much stronger image than her to stave off the Republicans if they were to choose either former President Donald Trump or Florida Governor Ron De Santis as their candidate. Newsom can fight better and take the battle into the Republicans camp while Hariss musters huge support from Black, Asian and Latino voters.
Democrats appear eager for someone other than Biden to be the party’s 2024 presidential nominee, a poll from ABC News and the Washington Post said. The poll found 56 per cent of Democratic-registered voters and Democratic-leaning voters want another candidate to top the ticket.
It found only 35 per cent prefer Biden as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee. The President hit new lows in approval among liberals (68 per cent), southerners (33 per cent), and people in the middle- to upper-middle income range (34 per cent). Biden also hit a record low on approval from black adults at 31 per cent. Already there are predictions from various Gallup polls that the Democrats could succeed in holding onto only one of the Congress’s houses, the Senate or the house. House seems to be the one that they can hold onto.
Majority of the people report feeling less safe under a Biden presidency, the polls indicated, the Washington Examiner reported.
In an interview that aired last weekend, Biden said he will decide whether to seek a second term after November’s midterm elections. “Look, my intention, as I said to begin with, is that I would run again. But it’s just an intention,” Biden told CBS’s 60 Minutes.
If Biden doesn’t run again, a number of Democrats are expected to wade into the Presidential waters. But even Harris isn’t seen as a definitive leading contender in such a situation, Democrats acknowledge privately…writes Ashe O
President Joe Biden’s statement this week that it “remains to be seen” if he’ll run for re-election and his low approval ratings among the American people that voted him in 2020 has prompted Democrats to think if they should have a different candidate in the White House in 2024 irrespective of whether Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis emerge as the Republican candidate. Democrats want a strong candidate who is a fighter and yet young.
According to the list drawn up by Democratic funders and Democratic Party hardliners privately, there seem to be seven Democrats fit to run for the White House in 2024. But only three of them appear to be top contenders — Vice-President Kamala Harris, Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Elizabeth Warren.
If Biden doesn’t run again, a number of Democrats are expected to wade into the Presidential waters. But even Harris isn’t seen as a definitive leading contender in such a situation, Democrats acknowledge privately.
“There’s not one clear candidate and there’s not a rising star,” said one top Democratic donor.
But a section of Democrats and funders believe that Kamala Harris, who lost to Biden in the primaries and who was picked by him to be his running mate, has the President’s ears and trust to take his Build Back Better (BBB) initiatives forward. Others feel she is not strong enough to take on the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) Republicans like Trump or Ron DeSantis.
Here’s who is generating the most talk and the most confidence, says the Hill in a special report based on the new approval ratings of the incumbent President Joe Biden which appears to be sliding again. Though his legislative successes and EO on abortion rights propped him up from last September’s ratings that saw a historic low for an incumbent president at 33 per cent. The November midterms could be a game changer for both parties ahead of 2024.
Kamala Harris
While Harris, 57, has seen her own approval ratings fall at times during an up-and-down tenure as vice president, she remains the top non-Biden possibility for 2024. Strategists say it would be difficult to convince Black women – who helped catapult Biden to the White House – to vote for anyone else as the party’s torch-bearer. And as one strategist pointed out, “No one is going to win the nomination without winning in the South. She has settled into the role. She has also made women’s rights one of her issues out on the trail, an issue that can only help her political prospects with the Democratic base as the Supreme Court decision overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights continues to reverberate.”
Pete Buttigieg
Just last month, Buttigieg, 40, the Transportation Secretary appeared in the swing states of Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada and Ohio. Buttigieg’s stature with voters could have taken a beating with the railway strike earlier this month but after Biden’s late-hour intervention, it never amounted, solidifying his standing with Democratic voters. And he has a young face at 40 years. But he’s not a top contender.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
The two Biden administration fixtures are the top two non-Biden Democrats on our list, says the Hill. At a recent event she highlighted her role in the Abortions rights fight. “The only reason Michigan continues to be pro-choice state is because of my veto and my lawsuit,” she said, according to CNN. The remarks refer to a lawsuit Whitmer filed to prevent a Michigan abortion ban from happening.
Gov. Gavin Newsom
At a time when Democrats have been craving for a leader who would get in the faces of Republicans, Newsom, the California governor, appears to do the battle, capable of taking it right into the MAGA Republicans camp. He’s tough as Ron DeSantis, the latter has however taken a beating with his planeload exports of illegal immigrants seeking asylum to blue state Michigan’s Martha’s Vineyard. They were relocated to New York.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
The one-time presidential hopeful has made it clear she has one race on her mind in 2024: her own re-election to the Senate. She doesn’t appear keen on the 2024 presidential run, except saving her seat in Massachusetts against the powerful campaign of MAGA Republicans.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
It’s tough for some Democrats to see the senator from Vermont launching another presidential campaign. After all, he is 81 years old and – if elected – would be nearing 90 by the end of his term. But Sanders has become such a staple of the Democratic Party since his first White House bid in 2016 that it’s hard to rule out a run. And if he did compete, he’d definitely have support.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.)
Almost no one in the Democratic Party has had the meteoric rise of “AOC”, as she’s known. And while most strategist’s doubt that the congresswoman from New York will run for president just yet, her name is constantly bandied about when Democrats complain that their bench is weak.
Wallace says the military is going to grow as a result of the spending increase which he said has come after decades of “defending against cuts or reconciling cuts with modern fighting”…reports Asian Lite News
Ben Wallace has said Britain will increase the size of its armed forces spending by at least £52 billion in response to Russian aggression.
In his first interview since Liz Truss entered No 10, Ben Wallace confirmed the new Prime Minister is sticking to her campaign promise of increasing defence spending by three per cent.
Wallace said the military is “actually going to grow” as a result of the spending increase which he said has come after decades of “defending against cuts or reconciling cuts with modern fighting”.
He added the pledge amounted to an annual defence budget of about £100 billion by 2030 – an increase of £52 billion on the current sum which the Defence Secretary called “huge”.
He went on to praise Truss for the funding boost and also hit out at former chancellor Rishi Sunak and the Treasury over its “corporate raid” of the armed forces since the 1990s.
“To the point of Rishi’s Treasury trying to stipulate the size of the Army,” Wallace added.
“My department has been so used to 30 or 40 years of defending against cuts or reconciling cuts with modern fighting, they’re going to have to get used to a completely different culture, which is we are actually going to grow, we’re going to actually change.”
The Defence Secretary was reappointed to the role after backing Truss in the Tory leadership contest – a stance he took when Sunak failed to heed his requests in the 2021 Integrated Review (IR) of defence and security.
“The reason I supported Liz Truss was that the risks we were prepared to tolerate in the middle of the decade are not risks I want to tolerate anymore in light of Russian aggression,” Wallace said.
“There are certain risks we can’t really take anymore. And that’s why I wrote to the Chancellor last March to say, the stuff that we didn’t get in the IR that we’d asked for, we do need it.”
With Kwasi Kwarteng now at the helm of the Government’s purse strings, Wallace seemed to imply the relationship between the two departments would be much more harmonious.
“The reality is we will be working with the Treasury to ensure we have a budget that grows to meet the threat and our ambitions,” he said.
“Kwasi is going to be a great, open Chancellor… He’s not going to shut the door to Number 11 and hide behind it.”
It comes after the Prime Minister repeated her campaign promise to spend three per cent of GDP on defence by 2030 to fellow world leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Shortly before leaving for the US, Truss revealed she had commissioned an update to the IR which was published in March 2021. Unveiled by Boris Johnson, it had seen the size of the Army reduced by 9,500 and a third of its ranks scrapped.
The update, which is expected to be published by the end of 2022, will be led by the PM’s special adviser for foreign affairs and defence, Professor John Bew.
In a statement which mostly focused on her UN speech, Downing Street also revealed a “refreshed strategy” of the IR “will ensure we are investing in the strategic capabilities and alliances we need to stand firm against coercion from authoritarian powers like Russia and China”.
The upcoming 19th edition of ADIHEX 2022 is being organised by the Emirates Falconers’ Club between 26th September and 2nd October, 2022…reports Asian Lite News
The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2022) will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the distinguished relations between Japan and the UAE.
The event, which is regarded as the biggest of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, seeks to strengthen the relationship between the two countries and further develop and enhance it to best meet the common aspirations based on intercultural dialogue.
The upcoming 19th edition of ADIHEX 2022 is being organised by the Emirates Falconers’ Club between 26th September and 2nd October, 2022. Officially sponsored by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, and Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, where the event will be held. Other sponsors include the sponsor of the “Hunting Weapons” sector, Caracal International LLC, the visitor experience partner, POLARIS – Specialised Sports Equipment, and event sponsors, including Smart Design, Royal Tent, ARB Emirates, as the official automobile partner, and the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the supporting partner.
In celebration of the fifty years of friendship between the UAE and Japan, JODCO INPEX Group will present several activities that reflect the true essence of the Japanese culture, which include the falconry shows, traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, falconry equipment making, artworks depicting Japanese and Emirati heritage, as well as many musical and art performances. Moreover, samurai swordsmiths will also take part in the exhibition, and children will have the chance to experience the taste of falcon and horse-shaped candy, passionately prepared by an expert candy maker. In addition to horseback archery, attracting enthusiasts from various cultural backgrounds.
#ADIHEX welcomes @tawzeaofficial, our local logistics partner for the 19th edition of the largest exhibition of its kind in the Middle East and Africa region.
On this occasion, Majid Ali Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee and Secretary-General of the Emirates Falconers’ Club emphasised the importance of keeping falconry alive by interacting with falconers from other cultures and stated that the barriers of language and culture have never been an issue in that regard. Falconry is a universal sport that gives falconers tremendous feelings of joy and happiness regardless of where they are in the world. Falconers have a lot in common. The charm and beauty of this sport brings us closer together.
He added that the relationship between Emirati and Japanese falconers started around a quarter of a century ago, but the unique friendship between the UAE and Japan dates back to nearly half a century. Moreover, he described their visit to Japan as beautiful and unforgettable. They were warmly welcomed by the Japanese falconers who showed unmatched hospitality and kindness.”
Al Mansouri explained that Japanese falconry derives its value from the Japanese culture, which is such a unique one, and the Japanese traditions are reflected through the impressive set of falconry tools. Japan has distinctive schools that teach falconry using traditional Japanese methods, and through our visit we had a unique opportunity to delve deep into the ancient cultural heritage of Japan.
Furthermore, Al Mansouri invited the Japanese community in the UAE, which numbered more than 5,000, and the many Japanese tourists to visit the exhibition and enjoy the various shows and events there.
It is noteworthy that the friendly relations between the UAE and Japan have been going strong for fifty years. However, over the past years, this cooperation between them has developed into a more advanced strategic partnership.
Diplomatic ties between the two countries were first established in May 1972. Japan is one of the first countries in the world to establish diplomatic ties with the UAE. Since then, these historical relations have continued to evolve, and yielded immense growth and prosperity for both sides.
Officials of the two countries are keen to strengthen and expand cooperation towards building a brighter future. The two countries have strong relationships in various arenas, including culture and arts, traditional and renewable energy, technology, and space programs, as well as scientific and academic exchange. The UAE and Japan will remain strong partners in dealing with various international issues, along with the strength of their trade and economic relations.
Their replacements will have pictures of J.M.W. Turner and Alan Turing on £20 and £50 notes respectively…reports Asian Lite News
Britons have just six days left to spend £11 billion ($12.4 billion) of paper banknotes before they cease to be legal tender.
The Bank of England (BOE) announced Friday that as of September 30, about £6 billion in old £50 notes and more than £5 billion in old £20 notes will no longer be recognised by UK businesses. There are more than 360 million notes in all that will be taken out of circulation.
People have only a small window to make use of their cash. The paper notes will be replaced by polymer £20 and £50 notes which have been in circulation for more than two years (since February 2020).
Additionally, as per Mirror UK, as of the next week, old bills featuring the face of Adam Smith, Matthew Boulton, and James Watt will no longer be accepted as legal tender.
Their replacements will have pictures of J.M.W. Turner and Alan Turing on £20 and £50 notes respectively.
Bloomberg reports that the paper currency can be exchanged for new money made of a polymer by showing up in person at the BOE’s Threadneedle Street offices in London, mailing them through the post, or exchanging them at specific Post Offices. They can also be deposited into accounts at several commercial banks.
The decision to transition to polymer notes was made to increase the notes’ resistance to damage and fight illegal counterfeiting.
In future, the synthetic notes will also be replaced to enable the distribution of notes carrying the image of King Charles III and to gradually phase out notes bearing the image of the late Queen.
The project is co-financed with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and will include the expansion of the institute’s facilities and allow 600 more students each year…reports Asian Lite News
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has extended a US$11 million loan to the Republic of Chad to support Phase 2 of the Abéché National Institute of Science and Technology (INSTA) Expansion Project to strengthen higher scientific education.
The project is co-financed with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and will include the expansion of the institute’s facilities and allow 600 more students each year to complete a comprehensive education in technical sciences and biomedicine.
Moussa Batraki, Minister of Economy, Development Planning & International Cooperation of Chad, and OPEC Fund Director-General Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, signed the loan agreement in Vienna.
Dr. Alkhalifa said: “An inclusive quality education is the cornerstone of social and economic development. Better and sustainable infrastructure, including higher quality housing, academic and social facilities will allow students to focus on their studies and education. We are pleased to support Chad’s development ambitions in the education sector and the Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education.”
Phase 1 of the INSTA project was also co-financed by the OPEC Fund and is currently in the final stages of implementation. It includes the construction and equipment of academic facilities and related utilities. In Phase 2, six student dormitories and a canteen will be constructed and equipped, complementing other facilities including a 1 MW solar energy station.
The Government of Chad has identified education as a key sector for national development and adopted a two year national strategy for higher education, scientific research and vocational training in 2021. It aims at increasing the number of students in higher education and linking human resource development programs with the labor market.
The OPEC Fund has supported sustainable development in Chad since 1977, providing more than US$125 million financing for transport, education and agriculture sector projects to date.
Visitors taking the Safari King package can enjoy a unique personal experience in the company of a personal guide, who will provide information and commentary on the animals in the Park…reports Asian Lite News
Dubai Municipality announced that the Dubai Safari Park will open its doors for its 2022-2023 season on Tuesday, 27 September.
One of the emirate’s most popular recreational and tourism destinations, the Park’s new season will see a wide range of new unique interactive entertainment and educational experiences and the addition of a number of new animals.
Dubai Safari Park, which saw over half a million visits in the last season, is expected to ride on the rapidly growing international tourism interest in the emirate to be a big draw not only among residents but also global travellers.
Aligned with Dubai Municipality’s plan to create world-class recreational destinations, the Dubai Safari Park has contributed to enriching Dubai’s value proposition as a major international tourism destination. The Park offers unique experiences with its diverse community of animals from across the world that live in a climate-controlled environment close to their natural habitat. Each season, the Park revitalises its attractions to further enhance its offerings for visitors.
Ahmed Alzarooni, Director of the Public Parks and Recreational Facilities Department at the Dubai Municipality, said: “With attractions designed to appeal to visitors from across the world, the Park is fully geared to offer another unique entertainment and educational experience for visitors. In the 2022-23 season, the Park is strongly focused on raising awareness about preventing extinction of endangered species through animal breeding programmes. Dubai Safari Park has implemented a wide range of conservation strategies to provide a better life for the animals. The Park’s dedicated veterinary and animal care units, together with other teams, work to maintain the highest global animal welfare benchmarks.”
In November, a number of new animals will be added on the Safari Trip, which will contribute to enriching the visitor experience. Newborns of some animals, such as the Ankole-Watusi cow, the Eland antelope, the Arabian oryx, the Nile crocodile, and the water buffalo have already expanded the animal community in the Park.
Spanning 119 hectares of immaculately landscaped spaces that provide hospitable animal habitats, Dubai Safari Park offers an experience that is distinctive compared to other parks and nature reserves. Visitors can enjoy its diverse themed sections including the African Village, Asian Village, the Arabian Desert Safari, the Explorer Village, and the Valley area. A range of packages such as Safari Plus Trip, apart from other special tour packages, cater to different visitor preferences and budgets.
Visitors taking the Safari King package can enjoy a unique personal experience in the company of a personal guide, who will provide information and commentary on the animals in the Park. The Behind the Scenes package provides an exclusive 90-minute experience in which visitors can meet with animal care specialists, learn about the daily routine and special care provided to the animals, and interact closely with and feed a number of animals, while the Bush Photographer package, enables visitors to take pictures of animals from unique vantage points in the Park.
In addition to the safari packages, the Park features a variety of entertainment shows, as well as restaurants and cafes offering local and international cuisines. Train services combined with bicycles, electric cars, and other environmentally friendly vehicles, provide a range of mobility options to facilitate movement between different parts of the park, providing a rich adventure experience for visitors.
Dubai Safari Park will be open every day 9.00 am–5.00 pm during the new season.
As part of the agreement, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has entered into an LNG supply agreement with RWE AG (RWE), with ADNOC providing an LNG cargo for delivery in late 2022…reports Asian Lite news
UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, have witnessed the signing of a new Energy Security and Industry Accelerator (ESIA) Agreement that will accelerate projects of joint interest between the UAE and Germany in energy security, decarbonization and climate action.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Climate Special Envoy, and Managing Director and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Dr. Franziska Brantner, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.
The agreement signing ceremony was attended by H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor of Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Court; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment; Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President; and Khaldoun Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority; and members of the delegation accompanying the German Chancellor, as well as a number of ministers and senior officials.
As part of the agreement, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has entered into an LNG supply agreement with RWE AG (RWE), with ADNOC providing an LNG cargo for delivery in late 2022, to be used in the commissioning of Germany’s floating LNG import terminal at Brunsbüttel. In addition, ADNOC has reserved a number of further LNG cargos exclusively for German customers in 2023.
ADNOC has also entered into a number of agreements with German customers, including Steag GmbH (Steag) and Aurubis AG (Aurubis) for demonstration cargos of low-carbon ammonia, a carrier fuel for hydrogen that can play a critical role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industry sectors. The first of these cargoes arrived in Hamburg earlier this month. Under the proposed ESIA, both countries anticipate to explore further opportunities to accelerate growth and collaboration across the hydrogen value chain.
Furthermore, Masdar, the UAE’s renewable energy champion, will be actively exploring opportunities in the offshore wind markets in the North Sea and Baltic Sea in Germany that could generate up to 10GW of renewable energy production capacity by 2030 subject to the necessary German policy and regulatory requirements being met between the two nations.
Finally, it was announced that ADNOC had completed the UAE’s first ever direct diesel delivery to Germany in September 2022, and has agreed the terms with Wilhelm Hoyer GmbH & Co. KG (Hoyer) to supply up to 250,000 tons of diesel per month in 2023.
Olaf Scholz said: “I welcome the signing of the joint declaration of intent on the “Energy Security and Industry Accelerator – ESIA”. Through ESIA, we enable the swift implementation of strategic lighthouse projects on the focus areas of renewable energies, hydrogen, LNG and climate action.”
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber said: “This landmark new agreement reinforces the rapidly growing energy partnership between the UAE and Germany. As we embrace the energy transition, ADNOC is fully committed to accelerate and invest in projects of energy security, decarbonization and climate action as we continue to be a responsible and reliable provider and trusted exporter of low-carbon energy.”
Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, said: “We highly welcome the acceleration of joint lighthouse projects in the field of climate action, decarbonisation and energy security. We look forward to closely collaborate on offshore wind, other renewables and hydrogen in the UAE and in Germany.”
ADNOC has long been a responsible and reliable provider of energy products to customers globally. The company was the first LNG producer in the Middle East and has over 40 years’ experience in the LNG market. It is currently in the midst of a major expansion of its natural gas business, accelerating production to meet both domestic and international demand.
Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas resources have some of the lowest carbon intensity in the world. ADNOC’s flagship crude oil, Murban, has less than half the carbon intensity of the industry average and the company is delivering on its plans to reduce the carbon intensity of its operations by a further 25% by 2030. Murban crude is freely traded on the ICE Futures Abu Dhabi (IFAD) exchange, where it is sold as a destination free crude oil to buyers from around the globe.
“Because conference, when I say I want to buy, make and sell more in Britain I mean it,” she will say, according to excerpts of her speech…reports Asian Lite News
Britain’s Labour Party will unveil on Monday its plans to set up a national wealth fund to invest in green projects which will benefit the public, part of the opposition party’s answer to the Conservative government’s tax-cutting approach.
At their annual conference, Labour lawmakers are sensing a change in their fortunes after a punishing loss at a 2019 election, feeling they can now offer a real choice to voters after the government announced a “growth plan” that handed tax cuts mostly to big business and the wealthiest.
The so-called mini-budget has opened up a divide between Prime Minister Liz Truss’s Conservatives and the Labour Party of Keir Starmer, who wants to use the years before an expected election in 2024 to prove his team is ready for power.
Rachel Reeves, Labour’s finance policy chief, will tell the conference in the northern English city of Liverpool the party wants to “build British industry” by using a national wealth fund similar to funds in Norway and Singapore, with an initial 8 billion pounds ($8.7 billion) earmarked for green projects.
“Because conference, when I say I want to buy, make and sell more in Britain I mean it,” she will say, according to excerpts of her speech.
“That is a real plan for growth,” she will say, taking aim at the “Growth Plan” presented by finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday, when Labour accused him of prioritising the wealthy over working people struggling with rising prices by turning to the discredited theory of “trickle-down economics”.
That plan has shifted the government to the right, handing Labour a chance to prove that it could run the economy efficiently but also help those on lower incomes and protect public services, a source close to the leadership said.
Kwarteng scrapped the country’s top rate of income tax and cancelled a planned rise in corporate taxes, all on top of a hugely expensive plan to subsidise energy bills for households and businesses, with little detail of how it would be paid for in the short term beyond increasing government debt.
In response, sterling fell by more than 3% to its lowest since 1985 against the U.S. dollar on Friday, and weakened against the euro and Japanese yen as well, while government bonds recorded their sharpest daily sell-off in decades.
On Sunday, Starmer pledged to reverse the abolition of the top rate of income tax and restore it to 45%, saying tax cuts for the wealthy would not spur growth.
Ed Miliband, Labour’s climate policy chief, said Labour’s plans would return jobs to Britain.
“This is about good jobs that pay well, with strong trade unions, and with money that flows back into the pockets of the British people.”
Iran said it considers the news agencies’ reporting to be interference in Iran’s internal affairs and acts against its sovereignty…reports Asian Lite News
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday it summoned Britain’s ambassador to protest what it described as a hostile atmosphere created by London-based Farsi language media outlets. The move comes amid violent unrest in Iran triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody.
The state-run IRNA news agency reported the ministry also summoned Norway’s ambassador to Iran and strongly protested recent remarks by the president of the Norwegian parliament, Masud Gharahkhani.
The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody after being detained by Iranian morality police launched unrest across Iran’s provinces and the capital of Tehran.
Protests over Amini’s death have spread across at least 46 cities, towns and villages in Iran. State TV has suggested that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the protests began Sept. 17.
Running clashes between demonstrators and security forces have continued to erupt. A member of the Basij, a volunteer force with Iran’s Guards, was killed by protesters last night in Tehran, semi-official Fars news agency reported Sunday. Another Basij member, who was in a coma since Thursday after street clashes, died in Urmia, West Azerbaijan province on Sunday, IRNA reported.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website said it summoned Simon Shercliff, the U.K.’s ambassador to Iran, on Saturday and protested the hosting of critical Farsi-language media outlets. The ministry alleges the news outlets have provoked disturbances and the spread of riots in Iran at the top of their programs.
Iran said it considers the news agencies’ reporting to be interference in Iran’s internal affairs and acts against its sovereignty.
The crisis in Iran began as a public outpouring of anger over the the death of Amini, who was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly wearing her Islamic headscarf too loosely. The police said she died of a heart attack and was not mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account.
Amini’s death has sparked sharp condemnation from Western countries and the United Nations, as well as protests in solidarity abroad. On Sunday, violent street demonstrations erupted outside the Iranian embassy in London, with rocks thrown at police and five protesters arrested. A number of police officers were injured in the skirmishes though none seriously.
Pro-government rallies were also held on Sunday in several cities across Iran. Thousands attended a rally in the capital’s Enghelab, or Revolution Square, waving Iranian flags. Some officials, including cabinet spokesman, Ali Bahadori Jahromi, attended to the rally in Tehran.
