1. North America
Rick Perry, governor of Texas and Republican presidential candidate, proposed a new spending plan for the US on 25 October, featuring the option for individuals of a flat income-tax rate of 20 per cent. Perry’s “cut, balance and grow” reform would slash corporate tax from 35 per cent to 20 per cent.
2. Africa
The prime minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, made a U-turn on homosexuality – illegal in the country – in an interview with the BBC on 24 October. The leader of the Movement for Democratic Change said that freedom of sexual orientation was a “human right” that he would defend
if he replaced Robert Mugabe as president next year.
3. Central America
The European Union will send an observation mission to Nicaragua, following an invitation by the country’s authorities to monitor the presidential and parliamentary elections, scheduled to take place on 6 November. A team of 80, led by the Spanish MEP Luis Yáñez-Barnuevo García, will observe the voting process, counting of ballots and tabulation of results.
4. Caribbean
Andrew Holness, 39, was sworn in as the ninth and youngest ever prime minister of Jamaica on 23 October. The leader of the centre-right Jamaica Labour Party is the first prime minister born after the island nation gained independence from UK colonial rule in 1962.
5. Middle East
The Israeli cabinet has agreed to another high-profile prisoner swap, following the release of Gilad Shalit on 18 October. Ilan Grapel, 27, has been held in Egypt since June under suspicion of espionage. In return for his freedom, Israel will release 25 Egyptian prisoners.
6. Economy
Eleven Swiss banks are reportedly preparing to pay billions of dollars to the US government and reveal the names of clients suspected of hiding money from the internal revenue service. Earlier this year, Switzerland reimbursed the UK and Germany for untaxed assets.
7. Education
Total public spending on education will fall by 13 per cent in real terms by 2014-2015, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The cuts to schools and universities are the deepest in over 50 years.
8. Culture
Miss World contestants arrived in London on 27 October to take part in fundraising events in the run-up to the beauty pageant’s 61st ceremony at Earls Court, which will be held on 6 November. The event was founded in London in 1951. Forty one years ago, feminists threw flour bombs during the contest at the Royal Albert Hall in protest against sexism.
9. Technology
The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner made its first passenger flight from Tokyo to Hong Kong on 26 October. The 787 – the first mid-sized plane capable of flying long-range routes – has 20 per cent greater fuel efficiency and 30 per cent larger windows than comparably sized jets, plus higher cabin pressure levels.
10. Health
Taking the contraceptive pill for ten years reduces the risk of ovarian cancer by 45 per cent, according to a new report by Cancer Research. Any length of time spent on the pill lowers the risk by 15 per cent.
Content from our partners
Related
