Rachel Reeves promises to ‘grip the cost of living’ in autumn budget

Chancellor admits economy ‘feels stuck’ for many as she signals intention to freeze income tax thresholds

Rachel Reeves has promised to “grip the cost of living” in the budget as she prepares to scrap the two-child welfare limit and freeze rail fares, while putting forward a multibillion-pound tax-raising package.

The chancellor is preparing to give her second budget on Wednesday after weeks of uncertainty about the scale of the tax rises she will need to impose to plug a financial hole of about £20bn.

Freezing income tax thresholds for an extra two years to 2030, bringing more people into higher tax bands as wages rise.

Making salary sacrifice schemes less generous, including those for pension contributions.

Bringing in higher tax on the most expensive properties, including a surcharge on the highest-value houses.

A pay-per-mile scheme on electric cars to help fill the tax gap from petrol duty as more people opt for green vehicles.

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Gaza hospitals running out of supplies as airstrikes continue, medics say

‘Severe lack’ in territory where Israeli strikes have killed more than 50 people and injured over 100 in recent days

Hospitals in Gaza are running out of essential supplies, with new waves of Israeli airstrikes killing more than 50 people and injuring more than 100 in recent days, medical and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory have said.

Medics told the Guardian on Sunday that stocks of gauze, antiseptics, thermometers and antibiotics were running low.

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The aftermath of the latest Israeli strikes on Gaza – Al Jazeera

  1. The aftermath of the latest Israeli strikes on Gaza  Al Jazeera
  2. Israel attacks Beirut, targets Hezbollah chief of staff  ABC News
  3. Gaza truce progress slow as Israeli-Hamas violence persists  Reuters
  4. 20 Killed in Israeli Strikes as Israel and Hamas Trade Blame Over Truce  The New York Times
  5. Israel has violated Gaza truce nearly 500 times in 44 days, killed hundreds  Al Jazeera
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Titanic Passenger’s Pocket Watch Sells for $2.3 Million – The New York Times

  1. Titanic Passenger’s Pocket Watch Sells for $2.3 Million  The New York Times
  2. Titanic passenger Isidor Straus's pocket watch sells for $2.3 million  NBC News
  3. Titanic passenger's pocket watch fetches £1.78m at auction  BBC
  4. Gold pocket watch recovered from Titanic sells for record £1.8m  The Telegraph
  5. They chose to die together on the Titanic. Now a reminder of their love story is going on sale  CNN
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Safe haven to sanctions: how Jersey sheltered Roman Abramovich’s billions

Court papers show the island cautiously welcomed the oligarch – with London’s approval – before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

For decades the Channel Islands tax haven of Jersey has played a big role in moving fortunes made in some of the world’s most despotic countries into the west, attracting overseas oligarchs with a mix of low tax and high levels of financial secrecy.

It is a secrecy that extends to Jersey’s relationship with the UK government. As a crown dependency, Jersey has its own parliament, but belongs to the king. The relationship between the two jurisdictions remains something of a black box, with very little public information on how the big decisions are made, or to what extent Westminster is consulted.

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China’s Li urges fair investor treatment in Italy – Reuters

  1. China's Li urges fair investor treatment in Italy  Reuters
  2. China, Italy to strengthen cooperation  Reuters
  3. Chinese premier pledges greater access for Italian companies to Chinese market  Xinhua
  4. Strengthening Italy-China relations at G20 Summit: Opportunities for trade and investment  businessreport.co.za
  5. China, India and Japan: PM Meloni charts Italy’s Indo-Pacific line at the G20  Decode39
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Northern Australia assesses damage after Tropical Cyclone Fina – Al Jazeera

  1. Northern Australia assesses damage after Tropical Cyclone Fina  Al Jazeera
  2. Thousands of Australians without power after tropical cyclone hits Northern Territory  Reuters
  3. ‘Worst since Tracy’: Darwin in clean-up mode after Tropical Cyclone Fina brings gales and torrential rain  The Guardian
  4. Cyclone Fina's movements and what to expect next  abc.net.au
  5. Tropical Cyclone 05S (Fina) / Invest 92W / Invest 95B – Pacific  Pacific Disaster Center | (PDC Global)
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