USA

If there was ever a unifying speech by an American President, this was probably it.

Only the most hard-line Republicans, determined to complain no matter what, will have much to say that doesn't support the vast majority of Biden's proposals. Yes, it was loaded with tacky rhetoric and tub-thumping and he lost his way from time to time but the general thrust of his speech was this: capitalism and social responsibility can live side by side and in doing so create a fairer and more wealthy society.

The USA's Securities and Exchange Commission has announced its 100th award under its whistleblower scheme. It's the 33rd this year.

The USA's Securities and Exchange Commission as done a deal with Power Solutions International Inc. of Chicago to "settle accounting fraud" allegations related to the company's overstatement of revenues by almost USD25 million.

It's not a criminal case so technically they are not "charges" which is how the SEC refers to them. And there's no judgment because the case didn't go to court. So the term "Order" is an administrative not a judicial document of record. Also, while the buzz is about "accounting fraud" the "fraud" was not the offence which the SEC proceeded with - that was filing misstated accounts.

Having cleared that up, the case is interesting: remember ENRON, anyone?

The USA is using Taiwan to bait China, as it did with Hong Kong, and China is responding.

Australia has once more taken action against an overseas corporation in respect of the terms and conditions it imposes on purchasers in Australia.

Is Australia's approach to policing e-commerce workable in a global economy?

It's a pillar of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) 2017 and it's about to appear in the Federal Register. And it makes the USA very unusual in recognising the realities of depreciation in a disposable world. And then they go and stuff it up.

The European Union is risking a battle with US President Trump. Countries, individually and federally, have been looking at the effect on domestic industries and national revenues of US companies, their tax structures and their business practices. In short, they are saying exactly what the US says: if you want to do business here, you do it on our terms. The USA doesn't like this challenge to the commercial colonialism which it has practised, largely without official resistance, since the 1940s.

Mark Steven Domingo, 26, of Reseda, a former U.S. Army infantryman with combat experience in Afghanistan, faces federal charges. It is alleged that he expressed support for violent jihad, a desire to seek retribution for attacks against Muslims and a willingness to become a martyr. He was, the authorities allege, developing a terrorist plot in which he planned to detonate an improvised explosive device (IED) for the purpose of causing mass casualties.