Latest news with #AO
GMA Network
2 days ago
- Health
- GMA Network
DOH suspends new fees for registration of health products
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday called on the Department of Health (DOH) to approve the immediate suspension of increased fees for facility registration and certificate of product registration for health products. The Department of Health (DOH) suspended the implementation of adjusted regulatory fees and charges for facility registration and Certificates of Product Registration (CPR) for health products. In an advisory, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa announced the 60-day suspension of Administrative Order No. 2024-0016, which contains the details of the adjusted fees. The FDA earlier sought a temporary halt to the order "to assess certain provisions of the AO in coordination with the FDA's concerned centers." The recommendation was made in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directives to ease the burden on businesses and improve access to medicine. According to an earlier statement, FDA said it would continue to advocate for a 'fair, transparent, and aligned' efforts for healthcare regulation. FDA Director General Paolo Teston noted that any increase in regulatory fees must be supported by visible improvements in service delivery and operational efficiency. 'Mahigpit ngayong nagtutulungan ang DOH at FDA sa mga kinauukulang partido upang matiyak na ang anumang binago o bagong bayarin ay kinakailangan,' DOH said. (The DOH and FDA are closely coordinating with concerned parties to ensure any changes or adjusted fees are needed.) —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
INTERVIEW: Belarus and Egypt deepening political collaboration
Chairman of the House of Representatives of Belarus Igor Sergeyenko stressed that political collaboration between Belarus and Egypt began to deepen during H.E. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's presidency. During the interview with Ahram Online on the sidelines of his visit to Cairo, Sergeyenko highlighted the good and trusting personal contacts established between the heads of state of Belarus and Egypt, President Aleksandr Lukashenko and President El-Sisi. Ahram Online: Egyptian-Belarusian relations extend to all fields and are embodied in the exchange of high-level visits. What is your opinion on the development of these relations? Igor Sergeyenko: Dialogue at the highest level underlies the political relations between our countries. Visits are exchanged. The first visit of the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, to Egypt was held in June 1998. He paid official visits to Egypt in January 2017 and February 2020. In June 2019, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi officially visited Belarus. We have achieved good results thanks to mutual support and productive cooperation between our countries at various levels. It is important to maintain this momentum, including with the support of legislative bodies. During my visit, I carried a message from President Lukashenko to President El-Sisi. This distinguished friendship greatly enhances bilateral relations. AO: What are the objectives of your current visit, and what are the most important outcomes? IS: Our visit to Egypt is vivid proof of the strong friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries. An integral part of the political dialogue between our countries is inter-parliamentary cooperation. The current visit will allow us to discuss the prospects for developing friendly relations with the leaders of Egypt and exchange opinions on several topical international issues. In addition, representatives of business circles will be a part of the delegation. The visit shows that with the help of parliamentary diplomacy, much can be done to expand trade and economic ties. AO: What is required to launch these relations to broader horizons? IS: Personal contacts between government officials in our countries contribute to further strengthening relations. We are confident that our meetings and negotiations will intensify contacts in all areas of mutual interest. Moreover, the agreements reached during the high-level talks in Minsk and Cairo created a new mechanism for bilateral political interaction: the High-Level Commission on Bilateral Cooperation and Political Dialogue between Belarus and Egypt at the Ministers of Foreign Affairs level. AO: Is there joint coordination between the parliaments of the two countries in international forums and towards global issues? IS: I would like to mention the constructive interaction between Belarus and Egypt in international organizations. Egypt has been a member of BRICS for over a year and actively participates in its events. This organization's activities aim to form a fair multipolar world order and build a fair system of economic cooperation based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit. Belarus has been a BRICS partner state since November 2024. We thank our Egyptian friends for their constructive approach to promoting our country in the association. Belarus fully shares the values and principles of BRICS. We will purposefully promote them in the parliamentary dimension of BRICS. Belarus generally strives for full membership in this international structure and is ready to expand its interaction with Egypt. We intend to continue interacting with the UN on pressing global and regional issues, especially unlawful sanctions policies against the most vulnerable countries, the politicization of human rights issues, and the problem of ensuring global food security. AO: Can you share your country's vision on the Palestinian issue, the Gaza reconstruction plan, and preventing the forced displacement of Palestinians? IS: Belarus supports the creation of the State of Palestine. According to the block of Middle East resolutions, Belarus remains the only European country that provides support to the Palestinians comparable to that of Arab countries. We are shocked by the increase in the number of victims and injured persons among the civilian population, women and children, as a result of the escalation of the Middle East conflict. We believe that the continuation of terror and disproportionate use of force, including against civilians, can lead to irreversible consequences not only in this region but also in the world as a whole. The US's attempts to displace the Palestinian population from its original territories are unacceptable and contrary to the objective of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We support Egypt's diplomatic efforts and activities to resolve the crisis and assist the Gaza Strip population. The solution to such a crisis undoubtedly lies in diplomatic mechanisms and the Palestinians' realisation of their legitimate right to full-fledged statehood. Belarus is ready to participate in the Gaza Strip reconstruction projects as a co-executor. We have proven and well-known equipment, technologies, and engineering competencies in the region, all of which can benefit the Palestinian people. We are grateful to the Egyptian side for its assistance in the successful and safe evacuation of Belarusian citizens and their relatives from the war-torn Gaza Strip to Belarus. Part of the humanitarian efforts to support the Palestinian people is the decision of the President of Belarus to organize the rehabilitation of a group of Palestinian children at the National Children's Educational and Health Center "Zubrenok." In addition, a group of Egyptian children has been invited to visit the centre in the summer of 2025. AO: The Russia-Ukraine war has been going on for years and is affecting the global political and economic landscape. Many peace initiatives have been put forward; how do you view that? IS: The military actions on the territory of Ukraine are a tragedy. For many years, our country has been constantly and persistently warning about the dangerous escalation of the military-political situation in this region, the degradation of the decades-long international security system, and the devaluation of international treaties and agreements. We see the tragic result of this position today in Ukraine. Despite the collapse of the European security system, Belarus remains a responsible participant in international relations. We believe that strengthening security—national, regional, and global—should not be achieved through building up NATO's military potential but through bilateral and multilateral arms control mechanisms and confidence-building measures, as well as through equal and mutually respectful dialogue aimed at eliminating differences, reducing risks, and preventing the growth of confrontation in the military sphere. Belarus is interested in the earliest possible agreement between Russia and Ukraine and the restoration of peace. In this regard, the Belarusian side consistently advocates for negotiations. Let me remind you that three rounds of Russian-Ukrainian talks took place in 2022 in Belarus and the Minsk agreements, which were not implemented. AO: During your visit, how did you see the developments in major national projects, and how can Belarus leverage this progress? IS: During the short time we have been on the very ancient and hospitable Egyptian land, we have seen that your country is a state of new opportunities. Under challenging conditions, huge, ambitious construction work is underway. The New Administrative Capital of Egypt removes all doubt. We appreciate the changes taking place in your country. Of course, Belarus is ready and able to use this progress in the interests of both countries. Belarus has advanced developments in various fields and is prepared to promote them in Egypt on a mutually beneficial basis. Such fields as information technology, agriculture, health care, education, and tourism are promising. When discussing trade and economic cooperation, we always note that it is not situational. We do not act opportunistically or for selfish reasons; on the contrary, we work for the benefit of the friendly people of our countries. Our two countries have great potential in tourism and cultural cooperation. Egypt is an excellent tourist destination for Belarusian citizens, especially the cities of Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. We also wish to introduce Egyptians to more information about Belarus in various fields, such as education, tourism, and cultural exchange. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
AWS cloud payments not taxable as royalty or technical fees: Delhi HC
Payments received by US firm Amazon Web Services , from Indian entities for rendering cloud computing services are not taxable as royalty and fees for technical service (FTS), the Delhi High Court held on Thursday. A Division Bench of justices Vibhu Bakhru and Tejas Karia dismissed the income tax department's petition holding that rendering such services by Amazon cannot be taxed either under the Income Tax Act or the India-US Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income. 'We find no merit in the contention (of department) that the amount received by the assessee for providing services would be taxable as equipment royalty.' The court said that Amazon' customers did not acquire any right of using the infrastructure and software of the US service provider for the purposes of commercial exploitation. The charges paid by Amazon's customers are for availing services, which the company provides by using its proprietary equipment and other assets, it added. "No part of its equipment or IPRs ( Intellectual Property Rights ) are alienated by the assessee (Amazon Web Services) in favour of its customers for their use," the court said in its 36-page judgment said. Therefore, the payments received cannot be considered as royalties within the meaning of Article 12(3) of the India-US Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement , it added. Live Events The assessee had received certain payments from Indian entities for rendering cloud computing services, which, according to the income tax Assessing Officer (AO) were chargeable to tax as royalty and FTS under the Act as well as the DTAA. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Amazon contended to the contrary and claimed that its receipts were for providing standard cloud computing services, which cannot be chargeable to tax either as royalties or as FTS, thus it did not file its return of income. The company's customers that had remitted the charges to the assessee for services had not withheld any tax under Section 195 of the Act for the same reason. The Revenue had initiated proceedings under Section 201/201(1A) in case of M/s Snapdeal (erstwhile Jasper Infotech), which had availed of the Amazon's services and had remitted funds to the latter as charges for the services rendered by the US company. The AO was of the opinion that the amounts received by Amazon were chargeable to tax under Act. Accordingly, the assessing officer issued notices to Amazon under Section 148 and commenced proceedings for re-assessment for assessment years (AYs) 2014-15 and 2016- 17. In its final assessment order in 2023, the AO determined Amazon's income chargeable to tax at Rs 247.68 crore in respect of AY 2014-15 and Rs 1007.81 crore for AY 2016-17. On appeal, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal in August 2023 ruled in favour of Amazon, saying the customers were granted only a non-exclusive and non-transferable license to access the standard automated services offered by Amazon. The tribunal's order was challenged by the department before the HC.
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
INTERVIEW: Belarus and Egypt deepning political collaboration
Chairman of the House of Representatives of Belarus Igor Sergeyenko stressed that political collaboration between Belarus and Egypt began to deepen during President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's presidency. During the interview with Ahram Online on the sidelines of his visit to Cairo, Sergeyenko highlighted the good and trusting personal contacts established between the heads of state of Belarus and Egypt, President Aleksandr Lukashenko and President El-Sisi. Ahram Online: Egyptian-Belarusian relations extend to all fields and are embodied in the exchange of high-level visits. What is your opinion on the development of these relations? Igor Sergeyenko: Dialogue at the highest level underlies the political relations between our countries. Visits are exchanged. The first visit of the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, to Egypt was held in June 1998. He paid official visits to Egypt in January 2017 and February 2020. In June 2019, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi officially visited Belarus. We have achieved good results thanks to mutual support and productive cooperation between our countries at various levels. It is important to maintain this momentum, including with the support of legislative bodies. During my visit, I carried a message from President Lukashenko to President El-Sisi. This distinguished friendship greatly enhances bilateral relations. AO: What are the objectives of your current visit, and what are the most important outcomes? IS: Our visit to Egypt is vivid proof of the strong friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries. An integral part of the political dialogue between our countries is inter-parliamentary cooperation. The current visit will allow us to discuss the prospects for developing friendly relations with the leaders of Egypt and exchange opinions on several topical international issues. In addition, representatives of business circles will be a part of the delegation. The visit shows that with the help of parliamentary diplomacy, much can be done to expand trade and economic ties. AO: What is required to launch these relations to broader horizons? IS: Personal contacts between government officials in our countries contribute to further strengthening relations. We are confident that our meetings and negotiations will intensify contacts in all areas of mutual interest. Moreover, the agreements reached during the high-level talks in Minsk and Cairo created a new mechanism for bilateral political interaction: the High-Level Commission on Bilateral Cooperation and Political Dialogue between Belarus and Egypt at the Ministers of Foreign Affairs level. AO: Is there joint coordination between the parliaments of the two countries in international forums and towards global issues? IS: I would like to mention the constructive interaction between Belarus and Egypt in international organizations. Egypt has been a member of BRICS for over a year and actively participates in its events. This organization's activities aim to form a fair multipolar world order and build a fair system of economic cooperation based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit. Belarus has been a BRICS partner state since November 2024. We thank our Egyptian friends for their constructive approach to promoting our country in the association. Belarus fully shares the values and principles of BRICS. We will purposefully promote them in the parliamentary dimension of BRICS. Belarus generally strives for full membership in this international structure and is ready to expand its interaction with Egypt. We intend to continue interacting with the UN on pressing global and regional issues, especially unlawful sanctions policies against the most vulnerable countries, the politicization of human rights issues, and the problem of ensuring global food security. AO: Can you share your country's vision on the Palestinian issue, the Gaza reconstruction plan, and preventing the forced displacement of Palestinians? IS: Belarus supports the creation of the State of Palestine. According to the block of Middle East resolutions, Belarus remains the only European country that provides support to the Palestinians comparable to that of Arab countries. We are shocked by the increase in the number of victims and injured persons among the civilian population, women and children, as a result of the escalation of the Middle East conflict. We believe that the continuation of terror and disproportionate use of force, including against civilians, can lead to irreversible consequences not only in this region but also in the world as a whole. The US's attempts to displace the Palestinian population from its original territories are unacceptable and contrary to the objective of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We support Egypt's diplomatic efforts and activities to resolve the crisis and assist the Gaza Strip population. The solution to such a crisis undoubtedly lies in diplomatic mechanisms and the Palestinians' realisation of their legitimate right to full-fledged statehood. Belarus is ready to participate in the Gaza Strip reconstruction projects as a co-executor. We have proven and well-known equipment, technologies, and engineering competencies in the region, all of which can benefit the Palestinian people. We are grateful to the Egyptian side for its assistance in the successful and safe evacuation of Belarusian citizens and their relatives from the war-torn Gaza Strip to Belarus. Part of the humanitarian efforts to support the Palestinian people is the decision of the President of Belarus to organize the rehabilitation of a group of Palestinian children at the National Children's Educational and Health Center "Zubrenok." In addition, a group of Egyptian children has been invited to visit the centre in the summer of 2025. AO: The Russia-Ukraine war has been going on for years and is affecting the global political and economic landscape. Many peace initiatives have been put forward; how do you view that? IS: The military actions on the territory of Ukraine are a tragedy. For many years, our country has been constantly and persistently warning about the dangerous escalation of the military-political situation in this region, the degradation of the decades-long international security system, and the devaluation of international treaties and agreements. We see the tragic result of this position today in Ukraine. Despite the collapse of the European security system, Belarus remains a responsible participant in international relations. We believe that strengthening security—national, regional, and global—should not be achieved through building up NATO's military potential but through bilateral and multilateral arms control mechanisms and confidence-building measures, as well as through equal and mutually respectful dialogue aimed at eliminating differences, reducing risks, and preventing the growth of confrontation in the military sphere. Belarus is interested in the earliest possible agreement between Russia and Ukraine and the restoration of peace. In this regard, the Belarusian side consistently advocates for negotiations. Let me remind you that three rounds of Russian-Ukrainian talks took place in 2022 in Belarus and the Minsk agreements, which were not implemented. AO: During your visit, how did you see the developments in major national projects, and how can Belarus leverage this progress? IS: During the short time we have been on the very ancient and hospitable Egyptian land, we have seen that your country is a state of new opportunities. Under challenging conditions, huge, ambitious construction work is underway. The New Administrative Capital of Egypt removes all doubt. We appreciate the changes taking place in your country. Of course, Belarus is ready and able to use this progress in the interests of both countries. Belarus has advanced developments in various fields and is prepared to promote them in Egypt on a mutually beneficial basis. Such fields as information technology, agriculture, health care, education, and tourism are promising. When discussing trade and economic cooperation, we always note that it is not situational. We do not act opportunistically or for selfish reasons; on the contrary, we work for the benefit of the friendly people of our countries. Our two countries have great potential in tourism and cultural cooperation. Egypt is an excellent tourist destination for Belarusian citizens, especially the cities of Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. We also wish to introduce Egyptians to more information about Belarus in various fields, such as education, tourism, and cultural exchange. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Stoke-on-Trent man homeless despite working full time
A man who sleeps on his mother's living room floor has said there is not enough support for homeless Buxton from Stoke-on-Trent has been unable to afford private rented accommodation, despite earning up to £2,500 a month, because of high deposits and his low credit level of homelessness in the West Midlands has reached a record high, according to a charity working to help rough sleepers.A recent report by Shelter found the number of people sleeping rough or living in temporary accommodation in the region rose by 18% between 2023 and 2024, to about 28,200. The charity estimated 39 people were sleeping rough across Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme, but warned the figure could be far Bailey, who helps Shelter record the numbers, said the data did not give a true reflection of the problem because only people bedded down on the floor could be to the Office for National Statistics, the average monthly private rent in Stoke-on-Trent rose to £669 in April 2025, an annual increase of 12.4%.Mr Buxton, who works at electrical retailer AO, said he could not afford the deposits required by private landlords. He has never taken out a loan and so does not have a credit score, he added some social landlords had refused to take him because he has a dog, and does not want to give it unexpectedly became homeless after being evicted from a friend's house following a disagreement over bills, he said."I'm a 36-year-old man, at the end of the day I should be standing on my own two feet," he added it was difficult for people in his situation to get any help from the authorities."If you're a working person like myself who doesn't have any drug addictions I find they just [say], 'it's ok, he's not a vulnerable person'." Izzy Longmore faced a similar situation when a relationship breakdown meant she ended up sleeping in her car in a village on the Staffordshire said she was denied housing support because she was earning £1,000 a month, and ended up running out of sofa-surfing 29-year-old said she felt there was a stigma to being homeless, and she had kept it secret from her family."I didn't want to put that guilt on them by basically saying, 'if you don't help me I'm going to be homeless'," she explained."It was like a sense of pride, I guess."She was later helped by a housing association, but has since faced further financial issues after being made redundant. Charity bosses said people could become homeless for a variety of reasons, adding that visible homelessness had reached a crisis to Shelter, the number of people in the West Midlands recorded as either living in temporary accommodation or rough sleeping increased by more than 4,000 between 2023 and 2024. The figures do not include hidden said Birmingham had the highest number of people in the region affected - with 18,300 people homeless - followed by 3,500 in Coventry and 770 in Sandwell.A spokesperson for the charity said if people were homeless, had nowhere to stay tonight, were at risk of abuse or harm at home or were worried about losing their home in the next two months, it could of its emergency helpline were available on its website, along with advice on those topics which they said had helped other people. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
