On October 22, 2019, the Swiss Federal Finance Department uploaded a series of publications concerning the value-added tax rules for those participating in and organizing sporting events.

Switzerland has released a report on its efforts to resolve tax disputes, noting that the average time to complete mutual agreement procedure cases was 13 months in 2018, significantly below that required under the BEPS minimum standards.

Switzerland is due to introduce its new corporate tax regime from the beginning of 2020.

Higher tax receipts helped Switzerland to another surplus in 2019, with withholding tax and direct federal tax performing particularly well.

The UAE has recently passed legislation to introduce new country-by-country reporting requirements and new economic substance requirements.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democrat Party has approved a tax reform package that will cut corporate rates for companies who increase employee wages.

Australia's free trade agreements are being widely used by Australian businesses, according to a new report commissioned by the Government.

The US Internal Revenue Services has released its annual report on the number of advance pricing agreements and applications and made during the 2017 calendar year.

South Korea's Government has announced that it will provide tax relief to small and medium size businesses that have been affected by Japan's decision to remove 159 South Korea products from its export "white list."

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has automatically registered 95,000 businesses for its simplified import procedures, allowing most UK traders up to six months to pay import duties and submit customs declarations, if the UK leaves the EU without a deal on October 31, 2019.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that his party intends to cancel a planned cut to the corporate tax rate, which was scheduled for April 2020.

The main UK opposition party Labour has set out its plans for tax reform, in a manifesto released on November 21.

The Federal Association of German Industry, the BDI, has urged the German government to forge ahead with corporate tax reforms, warning that Germany's corporate tax regime is becoming increasingly out of step with the country's competitors.

The UK's National Audit Office has called for a more comprehensive review of the 1,190 tax relief measures available for taxpayers, which are estimated to have cost the UK revenues worth GBP155bn (USD201.7bn) in 2018-19.

New Zealand has enacted The COVID-19 Response (Taxation and Social Assistance Urgent Measures) Bill to support businesses and individuals cope with the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a recent update, the Internal Revenue Service has announced that it has agreed a bilateral competent authority agreement with authorities in Spain to exchange country-by-country reports.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has pledged to reform Spain's corporate tax rules so that companies pay an effective rate no lower than 15 percent.

The European Commission is taking Spain to the Court of Justice over the imposition of "disproportionate" sanctions for failure to report assets held abroad.

On November 15, 2019, the European Commission announced the launch of an in-depth state aid investigation into tax exemptions provided to Italian ports, but welcomed commitments from Spain to abolish similar exemptions for Spanish ports from next year.

More than 20 jurisdictions have signed up to a pilot project to exchange data held on beneficial ownership registers and registers of trusts, according to UK Chancellor George Osborne.

Releasing a progress update, the OECD said international efforts to curb harmful tax practices and prevent the misuse of preferential tax regimes are having a tangible impact worldwide.

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 guidance on how employers can prepare for end-of-year reporting under the new Single Touch Payroll system.

The International Chamber of Commerce has warned that micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses' growth prospects are being stymied by complex indirect tax regimes. It has released an issues brief that is intended to contribute towards international reform talks being led by the World Trade Organization.

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

EU member states have been unable to reach an agreement on proposals to release to the public information on multinational enterprises' tax affairs.

South Africa, Jersey, and Belgium are among a handful of territories that have recently announced an extension to the due date for country-by-country reports under the new frameworks being introduced under Action 13 of the OECD's base erosion and profit shifting Action Plan.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has announced that the BEPS multilateral instrument entered into force for several of its double tax treaties on April 1, 2019.

On January 8, 2020, the UK Government released a policy paper setting out how the UK will temporarily adopt the "DAC 6" EU disclosure requirements on intermediaries that design or sell potentially harmful tax schemes.

The OECD's public consultation on a review into the new transfer pricing documentation rules proposed as part of BEPS Action 13 has closed. It has published the 79 responses received.

The Irish Government has announced the expansion of its support measures for SMEs affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus.

The OECD has published the comments it has received on a proposal for a framework of Model Rules for sharing and gig economy platforms to report the activities of their users, to support tax authorities to ensure the collection of tax.

On April 15, 2020, a government-commissioned report on the taxation of multinationals was submitted to the State Secretary of Finance recommending various changes to make the Dutch tax system fairer while maintaining the jurisdiction's tax competitiveness.

Brazil's tax agency announced import tax cuts for certain items needed to tackle COVID-19.

The Irish Revenue has updated its guidance on the impact on relief claims of the late filing of corporate tax returns, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

On April 29, 2020, the Belgian tax authority announced changes to the deadline for the submission of annual corporate tax declarations due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The French General Directorate of Public Finance has announced that companies and self-employed taxpayers will be able to postpone without penalty upcoming tax payments due to the public health emergency.

The OECD has released new stage two peer reviews on seven countries' implementation of the BEPS Action 14 minimum standard, on improving tax dispute resolution, covering Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Sweden.

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.

Less-expensive foods are just as effective at helping female athletes recover from workouts as sports nutrition products, reports a new study. The findings

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

Thirdhand smoke (THS) has become a major pathway for exposure to hazardous pollutants from tobacco smoke. That means even if someone is in a room that

A welcome piece of positive news for Africa comes from the Sri Lanka-headquartered International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and a new satellite data initiative.

New report suggests national leaders make water security a priority now, link water policy to other national policies, from agriculture to trade, and put in place water-sharing institutions early.

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

Tamil Nadu has reported 49 new coronavirus positive cases, said Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar. He said that the state had adopted a multi-pronged

Thirty-three persons tested positive, while 27 Covid-19 patients got discharged on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu, the state Health Department said. In a

One more person died of coronavirus in Telangana while 15 new positive cases were reported on Wednesday. With the latest fatality, the death toll in the state rose to 24.

India is getting high-speed testing machines for Covid-19 from Swiss firm Roche Diagnostics in the US. The import is being facilitated by the Ministry

With 293 cases added, the total coronavirus cases in the national capital reached 2,918 on Sunday while the toll remained 54. As many as eight people