Briefly

UNITED STATES

3 countries slammed for digital taxes

The United States on Wednesday criticized taxes imposed on tech companies by Italy, India and Turkey, but held off on hitting the countries with punitive tariffs. The US Trade Representative, or USTR, said the Digital Service Taxes adopted by the three countries "discriminates against US companies, is inconsistent with prevailing principles of international taxation, and burden or restricts US commerce". However, "USTR is not taking any specific actions in connection with the findings at this time but will continue to evaluate all available options". The decision came on the same day 25 percent tariffs on $1.3 billion of French goods, including cosmetics and handbags by renowned brands, were due to take effect, in retaliation over the country's tax targeting tech companies.

SOUTH KOREA

Team heads to Iran over seized tanker

A South Korean delegation left for Iran on Thursday to negotiate the early release of an oil tanker and its crew seized in Gulf waters this week. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Monday they had seized the South Korean-flagged Hankuk Chemi－which they said was carrying 7,200 tons of "oil chemical products"－for infringing maritime environmental laws. The Guards said the arrested crew were from South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. The delegation was led by the director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Middle Eastern affairs department.

SYRIA

Israel strikes again, missiles downed

Israel struck targets in southern Syria on Wednesday in the third such attack in nearly 10 days, state TV reported. A military spokesman said missiles flying over the Golan Heights targeted several locations and air defenses downed several missiles. Live coverage showed a multistory building on fire. "Our air defenses responded to an aerial Israeli aggression... on some targets in the southern region," state media quoted a Syrian army spokesman as saying. The Israeli army has carried out hundreds of air and missile strikes on Syria since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, targeting alleged Iranian and Lebanese forces as well as government troops.

Agencies - Xinhua