UK - Working Tax Credit customers must report changes to working hours

HMRC is urging Working Tax Credit customers to check if they need to update their working hours if these have reduced as a result of coronavirus. 

During the pandemic, Working Tax Credit customers have not needed to tell HMRC about temporary short-term reductions in their working hours as a result of coronavirus - for example if they were working fewer hours or were furloughed. It is one of several measures HMRC introduced to help those facing uncertainty around their hours. 

READ MORE HERE

Republic of China (Taiwan) - Labor minister supports minimum wage increase

Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun (許銘春) told lawmakers on Wednesday that she supported an increase in the minimum wage, about one week before the Minimum Wage Review Committee convenes to decide on the matter. 

READ MORE HERE

Japan - Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has decided to lift the state of emergency now in effect in 19 prefectures, along with less-strict priority measures in eight other prefectures

The fifth wave of infections with the novel coronavirus, the worst so far in Japan, is approaching its end. It is essential to examine the problems with the measures taken against the pandemic so far and establish a new system to prevent a resurgence in widespread infections. 

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has decided to lift the state of emergency now in effect in 19 prefectures, along with less-strict priority measures in eight other prefectures. 

READ THE EDITORIAL HERE

Singapore’s PayNow and Malaysia’s DuitNow to Link in 2022

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) announced plans to commence a phased linkage of Singapore’s PayNow and Malaysia’s DuitNow real-time payment systems. 

READ MORE HERE

New Zealand - The goal of safely re-opening borders and developing new ways for people to travel will start with a self-isolation pilot

The goal of safely re-opening our borders and developing new ways for people to travel will start with a self-isolation pilot, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed. 

“As part of the Reconnecting New Zealanders plan announced in August, the self-isolation pilot will look at self-isolation for vaccinated travellers who have not been to very high-risk countries,” Chris Hipkins said. 

READ MORE HERE  

UK - Businesses get more time to prepare for digital tax changes. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax will now be introduced in April 2024.

Businesses will have an extra year to prepare for the digitalisation of Income Tax, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced. 

Recognising the challenges faced by many UK businesses and their representatives as the country emerges from the pandemic, and having listened to stakeholder feedback, the government will introduce Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) a year later than planned, in the tax year beginning in April 2024. 

READ MORE HERE

Canada announces extension of flight ban from India as it prepares for the return of direct flights

Canada continues to take a risk-based and measured approach to re-opening the border while prioritizing the health and safety of everyone in Canada. 

As Canada prepares for the return of direct flights from India to Canada, Transport Canada is announcing an extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India until September 26, 2021, at 23:59 EDT.  

READ MORE HERE

Singapore - Changes will be made to the existing snap WFH regime from 22 September

From 22 September, changes will be made to the existing snap WFH regime:

• The duration of the snap WFH regime will be reduced from 14 to 10 days.

• The snap 10-day WFH will apply to companies with three or more COVID-positive cases working at the same premises / branch detected within a period of 7 consecutive days. 

READ MORE HERE

England - New system for international travel

Eight countries will move from the red list on 22 September and the rules for international travel to England will change on 4 October 2021. 

READ MORE HERE

Singapore - Updates to Travel Classifications in Calibrated Measures at the Borders

Read the updates to travel classifications in calibrated measures at the Singapore borders and more HERE

Singapore’s PayNow and India’s UPI to Link in 2022

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Reserve Bank of India announced plans to link Singapore’s PayNow and India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) real-time payment systems by July 2022. 

The PayNow-UPI linkage will enable users to make instant, low cost fund transfers directly from one bank account to another between Singapore and India. 

When implemented, fund transfers can be made from India to Singapore using mobile phone numbers, and from Singapore to India using UPI virtual payment addresses (VPA). 

The experience of making a PayNow transfer to a UPI VPA will be similar to that of a domestic transfer to a PayNow VPA [1] .  

READ MORE HERE

US - COVID-19 Vaccination Required for Immigration Medical Examinations

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that, effective Oct. 1, 2021, applicants subject to the immigration medical examination must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before the civil surgeon can complete an immigration medical examination and sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. 

READ MORE HERE

New Zealand - More financial support for businesses

Today’s decision to keep Auckland in a higher COVID Alert Level triggers a third round of the Wage Subsidy Scheme which will open for applications at 9am this Friday. 

“The revenue test period for this payment will be the 14th to the 27th of September. A reminder that this is available for those in Auckland, but also those around the country who can establish that their revenue loss is a result of Alert Level 3 or 4 in Auckland,” Grant Robertson said.  

READ MORE HERE

LISA - 'LALISA' M/V

Finally! Premiered today!!!!!

LISA - LALISA 내 뒷모습만 봐도 알잖아 어두워질 때 분홍빛이나 새하얀 조명이 날 깨우면 번쩍번쩍 세상을 흔들어 머리를 하얗게 비운채 시끄런 감정은 태울래 Burn burn burn 그때 난 네 갈증을 해소할 샴페인 Sip sip 나를 들이켜 그래 더 저 높이 내 body 받들어 Want you to ring the alarm 세상에게 알려 내 이름에다 입맞춰 Say Lalisa love me Lalisa love me Call me Lalisa love me Lalisa love me 알잖아 attitude 뭘 더 어쩌라구 The loudest in the room Just Say Lalisa love me Lalisa love me Call me Lalisa love me Lalisa love me 알잖아 attitude 뭘 더 어쩌라구 The loudest in the room Baby get the megaphone Put it on speaker I said I can’t hear you So you need to speak up Put that shiz on stereo Everyone else on very low Protect it like a barrier Promise there’s nothing scarier Than me if anybody coming gunnin for my man Gonna catch a case Gun up in my hand Bam bam bam Hit after hit though Rocks in my wrist so I call em the flintstones Ring the alarm 세상에게 알려 내 이름에다 입맞춰 Say Lalisa love me Lalisa love me Call me Lalisa love me Lalisa love me 알잖아 attitude 뭘 더 어쩌라구 The loudest in the room Just Say Lalisa love me Lalisa love me Call me Lalisa love me Lalisa love me 알잖아 attitude 뭘 더 어쩌라구 The loudest in the room 누구와도 비교 못해 그래봤자 you gon’ still love me You need some L.A.L.I.S.A 지금 너의 두 눈 앞에 서있는 내 이름을 기억해 Love you some L.A.L.I.S.A You cannot see me 어떻게 하는지 다 보여줘도 태국에서 한국 거쳐 여기까지 went for the throat Being the greatest of all time ain’t fantasy 새까만 핑크빛 왕관 belongs to we Lalisa Lalisa Lalisa 하늘 위 당당해 Lalisa Lalisa Lalisa 저들은 날 원해 Lalisa Lalisa Lalisa catch me if you can Lalisa Lalisa Lalisa Lalisa Lalisa Say Lalisa love me Lalisa love me Call me Lalisa love me Lalisa love me 알잖아 attitude 뭘 더 어쩌라구 The loudest in the room Just Say Lalisa love me Lalisa love me Call me Lalisa love me Lalisa love me 알잖아 attitude 뭘 더 어쩌라구 The loudest in the room

UK and Switzerland strike deal to secure healthcare access and other benefits for citizens who live and work abroad in either country

The UK and Switzerland have signed a landmark agreement which will benefit citizens who live and work abroad in either country.

• UK and Switzerland deal will ensure citizens living or working in either country can receive healthcare and an uprated state pension

• UK and Swiss citizens will have access to necessary healthcare when visiting either country 

READ MORE HERE

China - Trade ties with ASEAN will expand to unleash potential

The 18th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, with a widely-attended expo and a myriad of high-level forums and events, will deepen economic and trade cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to benefit development of both sides, government officials and experts said on Sept 9. 

READ MORE HERE

Singapore - Mandatory Retrenchment Notifications To Be More Comprehensive In Coverage

From 1 November 2021, employers with at least 10 employees will be required to notify the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of all retrenchments regardless of the number of employees affected. 

This will allow the tripartite partners and relevant agencies to provide timely support and assistance to workers who are retrenched. 

READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE

 

UK - PM statement at press conference on health and social care / Annual review of State Pension and Industrial Death Benefit rates

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's opening statement at the press conference on health and the future of social care. 

READ THE SPEECH TRANSCRIPT HERE 

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions explains uprating for State Pension and Industrial Death Benefit in relation to the general level of earnings for 2022 to 2023. 

READ MORE HERE

HKSAR - Return2hk Scheme to resume

The Government announced today the resumption of the quarantine exemption for people returning from Mainland areas other than Guangdong Province and Macau under the Return2hk Scheme from 8 September. 

The arrangement was made in view of the stabilised COVID-19 pandemic situation in Hong Kong, Macau and the Mainland, the Government said. 

READ MORE HERE

China - National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQ) releases 3 sets of draft rules for Beijing bourse

The construction of systemic infrastructure for the highly anticipated Beijing stock exchange, which is planned as the venue to boost innovation among China's small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, picked up speed on Sept 5 with the first batch of draft business rules released to solicit public opinion. 

READ THE NEWS HERE

Singapore - Updates on Border Measures For Travellers

The Multi-Ministry Taskforce has been closely monitoring the global COVID-19 situation and regularly reviews Singapore’s border measures to manage the risk of importation from travellers and onward local transmission. 

We will be extending and updating our pre-departure testing requirement for all travellers from Category II, III and IV countries/regions. 

We will also be updating our border measures for travellers from a number of countries/ regions. 

The updated border measures would apply to all travellers from the identified countries/regions arriving from 9 September 2021, 2359 hours. 

READ MORE HERE

New Zealand - Resurgence Support Payment amended to include new businesses

The Government’s Resurgence Support Payment (RSP) has been updated to better support newly established businesses. 

The RSP is a one-off payment that helps businesses with costs like rent or fixed costs during higher alert levels. When this COVID-19 response scheme was first established last year the criteria was included that businesses had to have been operating for at least six months to be eligible for the payment. 

READ MORE HERE

UAE - DCT Abu Dhabi announces updated ‘Green List’ countries, effective Wednesday 1st September, 2021

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has issued the updated ‘Green List’ of countries. 

All travellers arriving from these destinations will be exempt from mandatory quarantine measures after landing in Abu Dhabi. 

READ MORE HERE

HKSAR - Rule for vaccinated returnees set

From September 1, Hong Kong residents holding vaccination records issued by the relevant authorities of places such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Turkey can board a flight for Hong Kong from high-risk Group A specified places. 

Announcing the decision today, the Government noted Hong Kong residents can undergo compulsory quarantine in regular designated quarantine hotels upon return. 

READ MORE HERE