FACTBOX-What are governments doing to ease inflation pain?

It is set to ban sugar exports from October for the first time in seven years, and already banned exports of key categories of rice in July. * Thailand will set a new daily minimum wage by the year's end, its labour minister said earlier in September, adding the size of the hike would exceed inflation.

Pandemic-related disruptions to global supply chains and the effects of Russia's war in Ukraine have driven up prices of energy, commodities and other necessities.

Here's how governments are trying to help hard-hit consumers and companies: AMERICAS:

* The U.S drug pricing reform, part of the Inflation Reduction Act, penalises drugmakers for excessive prices and aims to cut out-of-pocket costs for Medicare recipients. The programme has been challenged in court by some pharmaceutical companies. The Biden administration is also pursuing student debt relief, which also faces legal challenges. * Canada's five major grocery chains earlier in September agreed to help the government in its bid to stabilize soaring food prices. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed to cut federal taxes on new rental buildings to relieve the housing market.

* Brazil has launched a debt renegotiation programme for millions of lower-income individuals using state guarantees. The government has also raised the minimum wage and enacted more generous welfare programmes. * Argentina has frozen domestic crude oil prices at $56 per barrel until the end of October after an agreement with industry players including YPF and Vista. The government had also announced a freeze on domestic fuel pump prices.

EUROPE: * The European Union earlier this year extended its gas price cap system to all trading hubs in its territory until January 2024.

* France plans to temporarily lift a ban on retailers selling road fuel below cost as part of efforts to help households. The government has been pressuring the consumer goods industry to cut prices. * Dutch lawmakers have backed the introduction of a tax on share buybacks by listed companies and a higher tax on banks to cover a minimum wage hike and higher childcare support in 2024.

* Poland's minimum wage will rise by almost 18% in January, its prime minister said in September. It will be followed by another hike in July. * Italy's government has agreed steps with supermarket chains and small retailers to cap prices of essentials goods from October to December.

* Sweden's government will increase in-work tax credits and cut fuel duties to help those hardest hit by inflation and interest rates. * Millions of British households will have cheaper energy bills this winter after energy markets regulator Ofgem cut its price cap on household energy bills by about 7% from Oct. 1.

* Germany launched a programme that will make available tens of billions of euros for firms facing substantial energy costs. The government last year introduced electricity and gas price caps. ASIA-PACIFIC:

* Japan will take steps so that wage growth consistently exceeds inflation "by several percentage points", its prime minister said in September. The government is set to unveil a package of measures to cope with rising fuel prices. * India's government has stepped up sales of subsidised vegetables while releasing stocks of wheat and sugar into the market to cool prices. It is set to ban sugar exports from October for the first time in seven years, and already banned exports of key categories of rice in July.

* Thailand will set a new daily minimum wage by the year's end, its labour minister said earlier in September, adding the size of the hike would exceed inflation. * The Philippines in early September announced price ceilings for rice, the national staple. The ceilings will stay until President Ferdinand Marcos Jr lifts them, his office has said.

* Australia raised the minimum wage by 5.75% from July 1. In May, the government said it would include A$14.6 billion ($9.43 billion) over four years in the federal budget for cost of living relief. * South Korea has cut tariffs from June on higher-priced edible products, including pork and sugar

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST: * Nigeria in August approved a total of 180 billion naira ($234.55 million) for its 36 states to procure rice and maize to cushion the effects of food shortages across the country. Labour unions had criticised the government for ending a fuel subsidy without measures to mitigate inflation.

* Egypt will keep electricity prices unchanged for consumers until January 2024, its cabinet said in August. * Turkey in June raised the monthly minimum wage by another 34% beginning on July 1. Ankara had also raised it by 100% over the course of last year.

* Morocco in April adopted a decree cancelling VAT on agricultural inputs such as soil nutrients. * The majority of South Africa's public sector unions in late March agreed to a 7.5% wage increase after five months of strike action.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)