Taxing times for pachinko as Japan considers casino gamble
OSAKA/TOKYO (Reuters) – Moves towards legalizing casinos in Japan have reignited a debate over the legal status of pachinko, with a potential new tax mooted for a $200 billion gaming industry that has existed for decades on the fringes of the law.
Chile tax reform likely to remain intact despite opposition
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile’s Congress will likely tweak President Michelle Bachelet’s ambitious new tax reform after it moves to the Senate in the coming weeks, but the heart of the bill will remain intact, those close to lawmakers have said this month…
Guangdong carbon scheme sparks China green vs. growth dispute
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s campaign against pollution and greenhouse gases is hitting early resistance in Guangdong province, where more than 60 manufacturers are holding back from a carbon market launched last year, saying the scheme is unfair and to…
IMF chief draws cautious response from Arab countries in call to end subsidies
AMMAN (Reuters) – IMF chief Christine Lagarde urged Arab countries going through democratic change to phase out costly subsidy systems on Monday, but drew a cautious response from regional finance ministers wary of the social impact of such steps.
China says Vietnam efforts to rope in others on spat will fail
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign ministry said on Monday Vietnam’s efforts to garner support over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea would fail, a day after Southeast Asian leaders meeting for a regional summit in Myanmar refrained from cr…
Iceland postpones withdrawal of EU application
REYKJAVIK (Reuters) – Iceland has postponed plans to withdraw its application for European Union membership, the government said on Monday, after protesters called for a referendum.
Healthcare to undergo serious surgery in tough Australian budget
CANBERRA (Reuters) – Healthcare in Australia is set for its biggest shake-up since the introduction of universal coverage in the 1970s, as part of a tough federal budget on Tuesday that critics fret is taking the country towards a U.S.-style system.
U.N. Security Council could vote within days on Syria ICC referral
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – France circulated a draft resolution to U.N. Security Council members on Monday that seeks to refer the three-year-old civil war in Syria to the International Criminal Court for possible prosecution of war crimes and crimes a…
Palestinian foreign minister requests ‘terrorist’ label for militant settlers
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki said on Monday he had asked world powers to classify Israeli settler groups who attack Palestinian communities and holy sites as terrorist organizations.
United Nations names first female peacekeeping mission commander
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations appointed on Monday the first woman to command one of the world body’s peacekeeping operations.
