Bloomberg Indonesia will exempt yachts and cruise ships used for tourism from a 75% luxury tax as the world’s biggest archipelago looks into ways to revive its vacation industry amid the pandemic. Similar sailing vessels built for public transport are also exempted, while those imported for other uses are still subject to the levy, the tax office said in a ...

Bloomberg Thailand is set to expand its quasi-lockdown measures to its regions that are hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic and home to about 40% of the population. The most stringent restrictions in 13 provinces, including the capital Bangkok and its surrounding regions, will be extended to August 31, and those curbs will be expanded to 16 additional provinces from Tuesday, ...

Bloomberg Kim Jong Un’s sister warned that upcoming US-South Korea military drills could jeopardise talks with Seoul, raising doubts about a diplomatic breakthrough less than a week after both sides announced a resumption of communications. Kim Yo Jong said the plan to hold annual allied exercises this month “seriously undermines” efforts to restore ties, according to the official Korean Central ...

Bloomberg Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro lashed out against the country’s electronic voting system, rousing supporters who took to the streets in major cities over fears of cheating in next year’s election. The 2022 presidential contest should use paper ballots and have a public vote count to assure fraud doesn’t occur, Bolsonaro said in an address to backers that was posted ...

Bloomberg The Nigerian Police Service Commission has suspended a senior officer pending the outcome of an investigation into US charges against him for allegedly aiding an Instagram influencer’s scam to steal more than $1 million. Abba Kyari, a deputy commissioner in the Nigeria Police Force and head of Nigeria’s Intelligence Response Team, which tracks suspected kidnappers and terrorists, was relieved ...

Bloomberg China’s State Council has decided to launch a probe after the death toll from the flooding in Henan province surged from 99 to 302, according to official media reports. The State Council decided to carry out a “comprehensive and objective assessment” of Henan’s disaster response, which will be led by the Ministry of Emergency Management, in a bid to ...

Bloomberg Hungary’s membership in the European Union may be assessed in a new light once the country becomes a net contributor to the bloc’s budget towards the end of the decade, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said. The comments, made by one of the most moderate voices in Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s cabinet, revived concerns that an increasingly bellicose relationship with ...

Bloomberg Nonfungible tokens have shot to popularity in the past year. Shopify Inc’s move to facilitate sales might bring them even further into the mainstream. NFTs have become popular in industries from sports memorabilia to fashion and art, where their ability to provide authentication and uniqueness is prized. Last week, Shopify started allowing merchants on its platform to sell NFTs ...

Bloomberg Gold is primed to surge to fresh highs as the risks around central banks unwinding massive stimulus are under-appreciated by investors, said a fund manager who forecast the metal’s ascent to a record last year. Diego Parrilla, who manages the $250 million Quadriga Igneo fund, said there isn’t widespread awareness of the long-term damage that’s been caused by ultra-loose ...

Bloomberg Germany is poised to widen Covid-19 vaccinations to include all 12-17 year-olds, stepping up efforts to spur its flagging inoculation drive. The move was set to be agreed on Monday goes beyond advice published by the government’s independent vaccine commission. The authority, known as STIKO, recommends inoculating those in that age group who have pre-existing conditions that put them ...