Michael Welu worked at the IRS for decades as a specialist in helping agents identify and investigate possible tax crimes. In an agency known for offices working in their own silos, Welu had the rare ability to move between divisions, dissecting and learning each office’s particular customs and procedures. But that experience had its own … Read more
Nearly one hundred million voters in Mexico are preparing to elect the first female president in the country’s history. The UN reports nine to ten femicides per day in Mexico. 25 candidates have been murdered in the pre-election campaign, showcasing the violence from drug cartels in the country. The favorite in the election is Claudia Seinbaum of the center-left coalition, with a 17-point lead in the polls. The election will be the largest ever organized in Mexico, with 99 million registered voters. Over 20,000 positions are at stake in the elections, including the president, governors, and local representatives. Strict security measures, including 27,000 military personnel and National Guard members, will be enforced on election day.
Recognizing the State of Palestine is fully in line with international law and UN resolutions, serving as an opportunity to revive the peace process between the two sides, according to Palestine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr Varsen Aghabekian Shahin. This recognition empowers the Palestinian government to fulfill its duties and address the daily needs of its citizens.
South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), saw a decrease in its share of the vote to 40% in the recent election, down from 57.5% in the previous election. This weakened mandate means the ANC must share power with a rival party in order to stay in power, which is an unprecedented situation.
Narendra Modi aims to set India on the path to abolishing poverty and becoming a fully developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of independence from British colonial rule.
Labor MP Ed Husic has broken ranks to call on the government to look at lowering company taxes.
South Africans are casting their ballots in the country’s most unpredictable election in three decades of democracy. Some voters are losing patience with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) due to economic and social problems it has failed to fix since the end of apartheid. Some once loyal supporters of the ANC are considering voting for other parties, with pollsters expecting the ANC to lose its parliamentary majority.
– Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a summer election in the UK, surprising many and giving a modest boost to the pound.
– Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has been leading in opinion polls since Sunak took power in 2022.
– UK equities tend to be quite flat in the six months after a national election, with the FTSE 250 outperforming the FTSE 100.
– The pound is sensitive to election time, reflecting international investor opinion about the UK and expected government policies.
– Sectors like Natwest Group, housebuilders, and the water sector will be under scrutiny during the election.
– Bond market investors will closely examine the two parties’ spending plans, especially Labour’s, to ensure bond market stability.
– Credit default swap markets currently price the UK as if it had a higher credit rating than it actually does.
Industry Minister Ed Husic has called for a lowering of corporate tax, either via direct reduction in the company tax rate or through an economy-wide investment allowance, saying either would be easier to sell politically today given Labor has gotten wages moving again.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced an early general election for July 4, 2024, without the UK government insignia, indicating it was not government business. Sunak continued his announcement despite being drenched in rain, facing criticism for not using an umbrella. The Conservatives lag behind Labour in polls, with Sunak taking a gamble by calling the election early. Both Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer are seen as uninspiring choices for prime minister.