![Colombian demonstrators take to the streets in anti-government protests demanding the end to police violence and greater economic support as COVID-19 rages [Nathalia Angarita/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-05-12T222000Z_761745981_RC2KEN9DMZOE_RTRMADP_3_COLOMBIA-PROTESTS.jpg?resize=570%2C380)
Protesters are calling for end to police violence and more economic support during pandemic, among long list of demands.
Tax
![The $1.93 trillion deficit for the first seven months of this budget year was $459.4bn higher than the $1.48 trillion deficit run up in the same period a year ago, according to the United States Department of the Treasury, headed by Secretary Janet Yellen [File: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/treasury.jpg?resize=570%2C380)
The US shortfall this year is 30.3 percent higher than the $1.48 trillion deficit run up over the same period a year.
![Judges at the European Union's General Court said the European Commission did not prove 'to the requisite legal standard that there was an undue reduction of the tax burden of a European subsidiary of the Amazon group' [File: Andrew Kelly/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/amazon.jpg?resize=570%2C380)
An EU court annulled a 2017 ruling by the European Commission requiring Amazon to pay $300m in back taxes to Luxembourg.
![A man looks at a police station burned down during the protests against what demonstrators say was police brutality exerted in recent protests against President Ivan Duque's government's tax reform in Cali. [Juan Bautista/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-05-03T144850Z_1145171804_RC2E8N9UZCDR_RTRMADP_3_COLOMBIA-PROTEST.jpg?resize=570%2C380)
The protests, which began last week, demanded the withdrawal of a tax reform proposed by the government.
![Women shout slogans during a demonstration against the Colombian government's proposed tax reform, in Bogota, on May 1 [Fernando Vergara/AP Photo]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/AP_21121703580605.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
Colombia’s finance minister has resigned, but experts say public anger goes beyond the widely-decried tax proposal.
![The government of Colombian President Ivan Duque was already under pressure from days of street protests in which at least six people died [File: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/371442027.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
The reported resignation comes after President Duque shelved his plans to raise taxes in the wake of street protests.
![Demonstrators take part in a protest against the tax reform of President Ivan Duque's government in Bogota, Colombia, May 1, 2021 [Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-05-01T193052Z_59360198_RC277N9C19C2_RTRMADP_3_COLOMBIA-PROTESTS.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
Right-wing President Ivan Duque’s proposed tax reforms drew widespread public anger and protests across Colombia.
![The United States economy grew 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2021 on an annual basis, as consumers came out of hibernation with a ton of stimulus money to spend [File: Adrees Latif/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/gucci.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
THE WEEK IN NUMBERS
UBI in Brazil, Biden’s latest tax hike, and China’s space station
We gather the numbers to know from the week’s biggest economic and business news stories.
![In his address to Congress on Wednesday evening, United States President Joe Biden said the wealthiest Americans will 'pay their share' under his proposals [File: Melina Mara/The Washington Post via AP Pool]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/AP_21119078942272.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
President Joe Biden hopes that lifting rates for top earners will raise beaucoup bucks for the American Families Plan.
![There were clashes between demonstrators and the security forces with riot police using tear gas to disperse the crowds [Luisa Gonzalez/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-04-28T213546Z_1174477696_RC275N9YILN2_RTRMADP_3_COLOMBIA-PROTESTS.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
Strike went ahead despite calls to postpone it due to COVID-19, with riot police using tear gas to disperse crowds.
![Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee died in October leaving a fortune valued at about $23bn [File: Jo Yong-Hak/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2020-10-25T000000Z_1463902899_RC2DPJ9DSSW1_RTRMADP_3_SAMSUNG-ELECTRONICS-CHAIRMAN.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
The tax bill following the death of Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee is one of the world’s largest ever.
![Tax evasion costs the United States at least $1 trillion each year, according to the Internal Revenue Service [File: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IRS.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
The Biden administration hopes allocating an additional $80bn to boost tax auditing will help pay for family programmes.
![While social media lit up with posts about cryptocurrencies being hurt by United States President Joe Biden's tax plan, some traders and analysts said declines are likely to be temporary [File: Wei Leng Tay/Bloomberg]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/bit-1.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
Bitcoin, the biggest crypto coin, fell to $47,555, slumping below the $50,000 mark for the first time since March.
![United States President Joe Biden campaigned on making the capital gains and income tax rates for wealthy individuals more equitable, saying it’s unfair that many of them pay lower rates than middle-class workers [Evan Vucci/AP]](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/AP_21112440932105.jpg?resize=270%2C180)
Biden will propose almost doubling the capital gains tax rate for wealthy individuals to 39.6%, sources tell Bloomberg.