A EUR130bn (USD148bn) fiscal stimulus package with numerous tax measures, intended to help revive the German economy following the COVID-19 pandemic, was approved by the Federal Cabinet on June 12, 2020.

Shot from village Timila in Ranikhet Tehsil of Uttarakhand

The BEPS multilateral convention entered into force for treaties signed by Cyprus and Saudi Arabia on May 1, 2020.

The Government of Cyprus has announced a number of new tax support measures for businesses, including a value-added tax rate cut for tourism accommodation providers and restaurants.

The Russian Ministry of Finance has announced that it will seek to terminate the country's double tax agreement with Cyprus, after negotiations broke down on a revision to increase tax on cross-border dividends and interest income.

Cyprus's Tax Department on October 20, 2020, announced an extension to the deadline for filing personal income tax returns and paying income tax for 2019.

Cyprus's 2021 Budget includes a proposal to lower the VAT rate temporarily on tourism services.

Cyprus's tax agency has released a number of statements regarding further value-added tax payment concessions for companies financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cyprus's Tax Department has announced an extension to the reporting deadline for country-by-country reports for the year 2019 and notifications for the year 2020.

Cyprus's Department of Taxation has announced businesses will be allowed more time to make their monthly value-added tax payments for the periods ending December 31, 2020, and January 31, 2021.

Cyprus has extended the deadline for the submission of corporate tax returns and the TD1A form required from certain self-employed persons.

The Russian Government has disclosed that both Luxembourg and Malta have agreed to change their double tax agreement with Russia to increase withholding tax rates on cross-border dividends and interest income.

Russia and Cyprus have announced that they have resolved a dispute concerning the two countries' double tax agreement.

Russia's double tax agreements with Hong Kong and Switzerland are next on the radar for authorities in Russia, who are seeking to ensure the country can subject to at least 15 percent withholding tax outbound dividends and interest payments.

Russia's Ministry of Finance has announced that it signed a Protocol to amend its double tax agreement with Cyprus on September 8, 2020.

Russia's Government has approved wording for a draft Protocol that it will seek to conclude with Malta, to revise their double tax agreement to increase withholding tax rates at source for cross-border dividends and interest income.

The Russian Government has announced the signing of a double tax Protocol with Malta, to increase the amount of tax that Russia may collect at source on cross-border payments of dividends and interest to 15 percent.

Russia's Ministry of Finance has said it is prepared to terminate the Dutch tax agreement if ongoing negotiations fail.

The Singaporean Government has announced it will amend provisions on transfer pricing adjustments in the draft Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2021, which includes measures announced in the 2021 Budget, following a consultation.

On May 11, 2020, the French Government presented a COVID-19-related economic support package targeted at the nation's wine industry, which includes relief from social contributions.

The French Government has announced proposals to cut taxes on production by EUR20bn (USD23.7bn) in 2021 and 2022.

The French tax authority has announced that it will modify and extend a scheme that allows employers to pay workers tax-free bonuses.

French Minister of Finance Bruno Le Maire presented the 2021 Finance Bill to parliament on September 28, 2020, which includes provisions to reduced taxes on production and plans to reduce the corporate tax rate next year.

The Cyprus Tax Department has released ten-year government bond yield rates for five new territories, to support businesses in calculating claims for Cyprus's Notional Interest Deduction. The rates are for Bermuda, Denmark, Jordan, Portugal, and Switzerland.

Lawmakers in Cyprus have rejected the 2021 Budget, for the first time in the country's history.

At its December 22 plenum, Russia's lower house of parliament approved revisions to the country's double tax agreements with Cyprus and Luxembourg.

Singapore announced the extension of a number of support measures for businesses in its 2021 Budget, released on February 16, 2021.

The European Commission has approved a Cypriot scheme involving the grant of tax breaks to private investors – both natural persons and corporate investors – who invest into early-stage, innovative SMEs.

Austria and Italy have signed an agreement clarifying the tax rules for frontier workers who are working at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hong Kong Government has said it is looking at potential measures to support the shipping industry following the decision by the US Government to terminate the two territories' agreement that exempted shipping industry income from tax.

The Australian Taxation Office has issued a Taxpayer Alert on mischaracterized arrangements and schemes connected with direct foreign investment into Australian businesses.

The Australian Government has confirmed that it will amend its offshore banking unit regime after it was designated a harmful tax regime by the OECD and the European Union.

The Australian Taxation Office has expressed its concern that some taxpayers do not fully understand the tax implications of cryptocurrency gains.

Russia's double tax agreements with Hong Kong and Switzerland are next on the radar for authorities in Russia, who are seeking to ensure the country can subject to at least 15 percent withholding tax outbound dividends and interest payments.

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the text of an arbitration agreement between the US and Switzerland, in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2020-35, published August 24.

Russia's Ministry of Finance has announced that it signed a Protocol to amend its double tax agreement with Cyprus on September 8, 2020.

Russia's Government has approved wording for a draft Protocol that it will seek to conclude with Malta, to revise their double tax agreement to increase withholding tax rates at source for cross-border dividends and interest income.

On September 11, 2020, the Swiss Federal Council launched a consultation on proposals for the total revision of the customs system.

The Cyprus Tax Department has released ten-year government bond yield rates for five new territories, to support businesses in calculating claims for Cyprus's Notional Interest Deduction. The rates are for Bermuda, Denmark, Jordan, Portugal, and Switzerland.

bAedes aegypti mosquitoes/b, a small percentage of all the mosquitoes species in the Florida Keys causes diseases including dengue and Zika. iScience

Novel device developed can be clipped onto a smartphone to rapidly test for Zika virus in a single droplet of blood, reveal researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

medlinkDengue/medlink, a recurring tropical disease that experiences outbreaks during the monsoon season, becomes more aggressive and severe in animal

On May 1, 2020, the United States Internal Revenue Service Large Business and International Division announced a new compliance campaign focusing on the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

On May 4, 2020, a bill was introduced in the United States House of Representatives to limit the impact of the Global Intangible Low Tax Income regime on businesses based in US territories and possessions.

On May 7, 2020, the United States Internal Revenue Service issued a reminder to employers affected by COVID-19 about the tax credits made available to them under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

On May 15, 2020, the United States House of Representatives approved the HEROES Act, which amends previous COVID-19-related stimulus legislation by changing loss carryback rules and providing further tax support for businesses and individuals.

The Office of the US Trade Representative has announced that the US will impose additional duties of 25 percent on imports of certain French products from next year in response to the country's decision to introduce a digital services tax.

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the text of an arbitration agreement between the US and Switzerland, in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2020-35, published August 24.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is optimistic that an international agreement on taxing the digital economy will be reached this year.

Cyprus has announced that a deal for the exchange of country-by-country reports between the territory and the US is expected to become effective and cover reporting years starting on or after January 1, 2020.