Iraq continues to be a complex jurisdiction in which to operate, and this is the case from a tax perspective, as the legislative framework and approach of the tax authority continue to evolve. However, according to Deloitte’s latest report “Doing business guide – understanding Iraq’s tax position,” the country still offers numerous investment opportunities, particularly in the energy and security sectors.

Iraq’s 2015 Budget Law introduced a number of provisions aimed at broadening the tax revenue base through introduction of new sales taxes, applicable to consumer products such as tobacco and internet services, amongst others, in addition to the implementation of the long-awaited customs duty law. Personal income taxes for employees working in Iraq were also targeted, with a reduction in the legal allowances and tax bands applicable to both Iraqi nationals and expatriates alike. All of this results in a scope of taxation that is much broader than many neighboring countries in the Middle East.

The new chief of embattled carmaker Volkswagen said the recall of diesel cars affected by the pollution cheating scandal could start by January and end by the end of 2016.

"We will this week present our proposals for technical solutions to the Federal Motor Transport Authority," Mueller told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily in an interview published Wednesday.

The Bank of Japan held fire on expanding its already huge stimulus program Wednesday, despite mounting pressure on policymakers in the face of sluggish growth and stagnant prices.

The decision, after a two-day meeting, follows a string of disappointing data that have raised questions about the effectiveness of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's drive to kickstart the economy, which contracted in the second quarter of the year.

Kick-starting the sluggish global economy and funding the climate-change fight top the agenda this week as finance ministers and central bank chiefs from around the world gather in Peru.

Setting the stage for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the IMF cut its 2015 growth forecast for the world economy Tuesday to 3.1 percent, predicting the worst year since the global recession of 2009.

The halal economy is set to grow as the world's Muslim population expands and more products are certified to comply with Islamic sharia law, experts said on Tuesday.

The range of halal products, from goods not containing pork or alcohol to financial and tourism services, is rising as the global Muslim population grows.

China's yuan has overtaken the Japanese yen and moved into fourth place among the world's payments currencies, global transactions organisation SWIFT said Tuesday, as Beijing pushes greater international use of its currency. 

The yuan -- also known as the renminbi -- held a 2.79 percent share in world payments based on value in August, SWIFT said in a statement, besting the yen's 2.76 percent. The yen's position eroded to fifth place. 

French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday scenes of Air France executives fleeing an angry mob after having their shirts ripped off by striking workers were "unacceptable" and put the image of the country at risk.

With the shirt stripped off his back, the struggling airline's human resources manager Xavier Broseta had to escape over a fence with the help of security guards on Monday after announcing plans to cut 2,900 jobs.

Asian members of the newly-minted Trans-Pacific Partnership Tuesday hailed the deal to create the world's largest free trade area, with Japan calling it the start of a "new century" for the region.

Delegates from 12 Pacific Rim nations finally managed to hammer out an agreement in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday -- five years after the U.S.-led talks first began. 

Eurozone economic activity slowed more than first thought in September, a key business survey showed on Monday, adding to concerns over the outlook.

Data monitoring company Markit said its revised September Purchasing Managers Index fell to 53.6 points, compared with a first reading of 53.9 points.

Britain will sell another £2.0 billion of shares in state-rescued Lloyds bank to the public, the government said Monday.

The Treasury will offload Lloyds shares worth $3.0 billion or 2.7 billion euros in spring 2016, and will exit its holding "in the coming months", it said in a statement.