government

World Court orders Israel to stop Rafah offensive

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World Court orders Israel to stop Rafah offensive

Judges at the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to immediately halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The court backed a South African request to stop Israel’s offensive in Rafah, with Israel arguing its operations are self-defense against Hamas militants. Israel’s assault on Rafah has forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee, cutting off aid and raising the risk of famine. The court’s rulings are final and binding, but lack enforcement powers. Israel faces diplomatic pressure and accusations of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies charges of genocide and continues its military operations in Gaza.

Policy elites blind to tax burden

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Policy elites blind to tax burden

President William Ruto believes that Kenyans are not overtaxed, citing the concept of ‘tax effort’ as a measure of tax revenue as a percentage of GDP. He argues that the government needs to increase tax effort to fund infrastructure projects and meet international standards for service delivery. However, he criticizes the reliance on IMF advice and GDP statistics, pointing out data quality issues and the impact of high taxes on citizens and businesses. Ruto suggests assessing the impact of taxes on the cost of living through household surveys to determine if Kenyans are indeed overtaxed.

Listed firms may face 2.5% additional corporate tax in FY25

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Listed firms may face 2.5% additional corporate tax in FY25

Fact: Companies listed on the capital market are expected to face an additional 2.5% corporate tax in the next fiscal year unless they adopt cashless transactions as the government plans to promote a cashless society.

UAE economy grew 4.3 per cent in fourth quarter of 2023

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UAE economy grew 4.3 per cent in fourth quarter of 2023

The United Arab Emirates’ economy grew 4.3% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2023, with non-oil GDP surging 6.7% in the same period.

Building collapses in Spain, ’s Balearic Islands, killing at least 4 people

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Building collapses in Spain, ’s Balearic Islands, killing at least 4 people

A two-storey restaurant building collapsed on the beach in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, killing at least four people and injuring 16.

EPIC tax backers say petition effort cleared 38-county hurdle

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State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard is leading an effort to replace Nebraska’s income, property, and corporate taxes with a broader sales or consumption tax called the EPIC Option.

Euros & Dollars: Bad Timing for Lithuania’s Tax Hikes

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Euros & Dollars: Bad Timing for Lithuania's Tax Hikes

The Lithuanian Finance Ministry proposed increasing the corporate tax rate by one percentage point, hiking excise duty on fuel, and introducing a tax on some insurance contracts to raise additional funds for defense.

Cyprus ready for wildfire season, says agriculture minister

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Cyprus ready for wildfire season, says agriculture minister

Fact: The primary focus of the exercise was to assess the effectiveness of the national firefighting strategy ‘Hephaestus’ for large forest fire suppression.

Education minister reaffirms commitment to improving schools

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Education minister reaffirms commitment to improving schools

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou reiterated the government’s commitment to enhancing both the structural and pedagogical functions of schools to meet contemporary educational requirements and support the development of knowledge, skills, principles, attitudes, and values. The refurbishment works completed at Palouriotissa Primary School A significantly boost its functionality and effectiveness, with funds obtained from the Recovery and Resilience Plan funding. The goal is to ensure uninterrupted access to learning in functional and suitable spaces, creating a modern, human-centered, inclusive school environment. Key achievements during the first year of the Christodoulides administration include updating curricula, expanding the all-day school program, transitioning from special to unified education, and introducing measures for the prevention and intervention in issues of violence and delinquency.

Limassol to grant permit for tallest building in Cyprus “Aura”

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Limassol to grant permit for tallest building in Cyprus “Aura”

Limassol Municipality is expected to issue a building permit by the end of May for the Aura project, which will become Cyprus’s tallest building at 181.5 metres with 44 floors. The skyscraper will be constructed on the former site of the ERA Olympia shopping centre. Investors are finalizing agreements to comply with compensatory measures set by the Municipality, including providing public parking spaces, allocating ground floor space for a municipal art gallery, and making a compensation payment. The project, designed by Foster+Partners, aims to create a modern, environmentally friendly tower that integrates seamlessly with Limassol’s urban environment.