The fifth round of tariff cuts under the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement have entered into force.

Highlights: Bacteria living in household dust particles have been detected These are capable of transmitting

EU customs controls are not being applied effectively, an EU audit has found, with importers able to take advantage of loopholes to reduce or evade their duty liabilities.

The Australian Government is to simplify taxpayers' compliance with rules designed to prevent shareholders from using private company profits without paying tax at their marginal rates.

Legislation to reduce Australia's small business tax rate received Royal Assent on October 25.

The Australian Taxation Office has announced that it is expanding its data matching program to focus on information it receives from partner organizations on shares held by taxpayers.

The Australian Government is consulting on the tax implications of a new accounting standard for insurance contracts.

Australia is to require businesses seeking to tender for significant federal government procurement contracts to demonstrate their record of tax compliance.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has highlighted the significant impact that recent accounting standard changes will have for financial reports that must be prepared for the year to December 31, 2018, and second quarter reports.

The Australian Taxation Office has issued an e-brief on how companies can assess if they are required to submit a reportable tax position schedule.

The Australian Taxation Office said that it has noticed a number of common errors being made in activity statements since the "goods and services tax at settlement" system was introduced for the real estate industry in July 2018.

The Australian Government is to implement a new government procurement process that will require the tenderer's tax record to be taken into account.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has announced that the Government will bring forward the start date for its package of income tax cuts.

The Australian Taxation Office has explained how its Early Intervention Strategy helps it to identify tax agents at risk of non-compliance.

The Australian Taxation Office has opened a consultation on a draft Law Companion Ruling on the targeted integrity rule that will apply under the new hybrid mismatch regime.

The Australian Taxation Office has issued guidance on how employers can prepare for end-of-year reporting under the new Single Touch Payroll system.

The Australian Taxation Office has released a new ruling on how to calculate the effective life of depreciating assets for income tax purposes, in Taxation Ruling (TR) 2019/5, which is applicable from July 1, 2019.

Legislation before Australia's parliament would make company directors liable for a failed company's GST liabilities in certain circumstances.

The Australian Taxation Office has welcomed a significant ruling from Australia's High Court, which enables the tax agency to use information obtained from data leaks, even if leaked from a law firm.

Australia's Federal Court issued a decision in favor of mining company Glencore on September 3, 2019. The case centered on whether dealings between Swiss parent Glencore International AG and an Australian subsidiary breached transfer pricing rules in relation to the sale and purchase of copper concentrate in the 2007-09 years.

Australia has enacted new integrity measures included in the Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Superannuation Measures No. 1) Bill 2019 affecting self-managed super funds.

The Australian Taxation Office has announced changes to its CbC reporting system following feedback from multinational groups.

Companies with a tax ruling dating from 2014 from the Irish Revenue have been encouraged to renew these before they expire.

The European Commission has requested that both Austria and Ireland take action to transpose EU-wide interest limitation rules into their respective national laws.

The Austrian Ministry of Finance has published guidance in English regarding the Digital Tax Act 2020, which was approved by the upper house of the Austrian parliament on October 10, 2019, and which applies to the provision of digital advertising services from 2020.

The new Austrian coalition government, consisting of the conservative People's Party and the Green Party, has agreed on a program for government, which includes several significant tax measures.

The Austrian parliament has approved measures to exempt allowances and bonuses paid to employees from all taxes as part of the Government's economic response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Austrian Ministry of Finance has announced that proceedings in relation to tax offences and the payment of duties and fees will be extended due to restrictions on movement imposed as a result of the COVID-19 virus.

On August 19, 2019, the Office of the United States Trade Representative held an off-camera public hearing on France's recently introduced digital services tax, attended by three major technology firms.

On January 6, 2020, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that an on-the-record but off-camera public hearing would be held on January 7 on proposed action against France's digital services tax (DST).

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said that Austria does not agree with new German proposals for a European financial transactions tax.

On February 19, 2020, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz issued a statement to say that he remains "committed" to the introduction of a financial transactions tax at European Union level along the same lines as that proposed by the German Government last month, despite opposition from within the EU, notably from Austria.

On April 24, 2020, the French Government announced that it has decided to extend tax and other financial support to companies in sectors most affected by the COVID-19 lockdown measures, including catering, tourism, events, sports, and cultural activities.

Targets that promote efficient, nationally and locally appropriate water use will be key to achieving the SDGs.

A new agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and IWMI will help develop initiatives to improve waste-derived compost using nutrient enrichment and pelletizing technologies.

World Water Day dialogue stresses need for public and private sectors to work together for water-secure growth.

An individual's susceptibility to pneumococcal disease is increased when exposed to diesel exhaust particles (DEPs), revealed study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

According to Karen Villholth, a principal researcher focusing on groundwater for the International Water Management Institute, poorer rural communities in South Africa similarly struggle with groundwater issues — a problem exacerbated by the recent drought that has stricken the country.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) South Asia Office in India, convened a multi-sectoral panel discussion on - “Creating Sustainable Value Chains for Transforming Food Systems” on 4 Feb 2020, at the National Agricultural Science Complex in Delhi.

"In the water sector we always say 'Don't waste a good crisis'," said Inga Jacobs-Mata, the South African representative from non-profit research group the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

The decline in natural resources is very real. The International Water Management Institute estimates that nearly every country south of the 35th parallel will experience economic or physical water scarcity by 2025.

Researchers have said that facial expressions might not be reliable indicators of emotion. People should never trust a person's face, added researchers.

New reports heighten awareness of an urgent imperative.

IWMI study calls for investment in the social capital and capabilities of women and marginalized people.

Farmers in Sri Lanka are positioned to benefit from a new policy that recognizes waste from septic tanks as an untapped resource. 

Improving care for kids with cancer worldwide will bring a triple return on investment, and prevent millions of unnecessary deaths, reports a new study.

Inclusion of groundwater in continent-wide strategies has potential to help keep Africa’s broader development on a sustainable footing.

"In the water sector we always say 'Don't waste a good crisis'," said Inga Jacobs-Mata, the South African representative from non-profit research group the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

This week, IWMI’s scientists used Google Earth Engine to produce a map depicting the current status of crops around the world.

The decline in natural resources is very real. The International Water Management Institute estimates that nearly every country south of the 35th parallel will experience economic or physical water scarcity by 2025.