The Week in Short US

IRS Notice Urges Taxpayers Not to Fall for Credit Claim Scheme

THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS) has issued a “renewed warning” that calls on people to be aware of employee retention credit guidelines amid widespread promotions that push “ineligible people to file” for the credit.

State Department Warns Americans About Mexico Travel Following Kidnapping

THE U.S. CONSULATE in a Mexican border city has issued an alert about violence and warned U.S. citizens not to travel there, after two of the four Americans who were abducted last week were killed by criminals.

After the reported kidnapping, the U.S. State Department issued an alert about violence in Matamoros and reminded U.S. citizens that many parts of Mexico are under a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” warning. That’s the highest warning in the department’s travel advisory system.

The U.S. Consulate in Matamoros has issued at least four security alerts since early 2020, warning about kidnappings, cartel violence, crime, and other incidents.

Temperature-Stable TB Vaccine Shows Encouraging Trial Results

RESEARCHERS HAVE CARRIED OUT a phase one clinical trial of a freeze-dried, temperature-stable experimental tuberculosis (TB) vaccine that could one day be an alternative to the BCG vaccine, which has significant drawbacks.

According to WHO estimates, almost 2 billion people worldwide are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB. The disease is calculated to have infected 10.6 million people in 2021 and killed 1.6 million in the same year.

AAHI’s single-vial TB vaccine is a freeze-dried formulation that can be stored at temperatures of up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit for months. At present, BCG is the only licensed vaccine against TB. BCG is a freezedried powder that must be stored under frozen conditions and can be “readily destroyed by sunlight,” according to the World Health Organization.

“While this is a legitimate credit that has provided a financial lifeline to millions of businesses, there continue to be promoters who aggressively mislead people and businesses into thinking they can claim these credits,” Acting IRS Commissioner Doug O’Donnell said in a notice. “Anyone who is considering claiming this credit needs to carefully review the guidelines.

“If the tax professional they’re using raises questions about the accuracy of the Employee Retention Credit claim, people should listen to their advice. The IRS is actively auditing and conducting criminal investigations related to these false claims. People need to think twice before claiming this.”

If a taxpayer improperly claims the employee retention credit, they could be required to repay the credit and pay higher interest. Penalties may also be applied, the IRS warned.

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Ned Price to Step Down as State Department Spokesman

State Department Spokesman

Ned Price will step down from his role later this month, department officials have announced.

Price, who has served as spokesman since the beginning of the Biden administration, will continue working directly with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a new capacity.