Tax revenues fell in 2019 in two-thirds of economies across Asia and the Pacific as a result of an economic slowdown prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new OECD report.

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.

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 OECD has released peer review reports reviewing nine territories' progress towards implementing the BEPS Action 14 standard, on improving tax dispute resolution.

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.

The OECD has released its Taxing Wages 2020 report, which highlights that taxes on labor across the OECD countries fell for the sixth consecutive year in 2019.

On July 6, 2020, the Belgian Ministry of Finance announced that the deadline for the filing of corporate tax returns has been extended further, from September 24 to October 29, 2020.

Belgium's Minister of Finance has announced a further extension to the 2020 corporate tax return deadline.

Tax revenues fell across the OECD for the first time in a decade during 2019, but a much larger decrease is expected in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the OECD's newly released annual Revenue Statistics report.

Belgium's Federal Public Service Finance has announced that businesses may now submit returns through the Belcotax-on-web portal.

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 OECD has released its annual Consumption Tax Trends report, which highlights that with VAT rates at an all-time high, governments should ensure they have effective VAT frameworks in place to tax e-commerce.

Irish business association Ibec has called for the establishment of a Commission on Taxation, as part of a package of measures to "reboot" the economy after the coronavirus pandemic.

The OECD has released its annual Consumption Tax Trends report, which highlights that with VAT rates at an all-time high, governments should ensure they have effective VAT frameworks in place to tax e-commerce.

Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer Biological E has secured World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualification for its medlinknovel oral polio vaccine type 2/medlink (nOPV2).

The DR Congo, the heart of Africa's monkeypox (medlinkMpox/medlink) outbreak, will begin its vaccination campaign on October 2 (!--ref1--). The

In a recently alarming report, the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) has bflagged over 50 medications commonly prescribed/b for

India's pharmaceutical (!--ref1--) and medical technology exports are poised for continued growth, even amid global economic challenges, according to

Cannabis containing 10% or more of the psychoactive compound THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), can alter the DNA (!--ref1--). A recent study published

A newly developed wearable camera system uses artificial intelligence to detect potential medication delivery errors. In a recent study published in inpj Digital Medicine.

Australian research has found that the widespread use of the antibiotic rifaximin is fueling the rise of a nearly untreatable superbug. (!--ref1--)

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Unilever may scrap plans to overhaul its company structure if an exit tax proposed by a Dutch opposition party is passed.

On October 5, 2020, the UK tax authority added considerably to its Brexit guidance for businesses on the value-added tax rules that will apply to goods entering Great Britain from outside the UK.

Canada and the UK have announced the successful conclusion of negotiations on an interim trade agreement, which will be in place as they work toward a comprehensive post-Brexit free trade deal.

Canada and the UK have formally signed a post-Brexit trade continuity agreement that will apply from January 1, 2021.

Norway intends to provide value-added tax administrative relief measures to UK businesses in response to Brexit.

The US Senate has approved the inclusion of new provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure bill to require intermediaries involved in cryptocurrency trading to report details about transactions.

The European Commission has committed to tabling a proposal for a digital tax in October, whether or not an international agreement surfaces from OECD-led talks on new international tax rules for the world's largest firms.

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The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has updated its guidance on the tax requirements for companies being liquidated and those under receivership.

On April 1, 2021, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore issued a summary of an advance ruling concerning franchise income earned by a Singaporean company from licensing intellectual property rights.

Chinese authorities have announced enhanced temporary tax breaks for small businesses.

Experts speaking at the UN's Economic and Social Council's annual Special Meeting on International Cooperation in Tax Matters concluded that the international community must do more to tackle tax base erosion and profit shifting and offshore tax evasion.

Hong Kong's Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui Ching-yu, has set out how the territory intends to respond to the OECD's proposed new international tax framework.

On August 1, 2021, Mexico's federal tax authority released a second report on the effective corporate tax paid by large businesses in various economic sectors.

Following a consultation exercise, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has said the territory intends to go ahead with various important goods and services tax regime changes without accepting amendments proposed by stakeholders.

Singapore's Minister of Finance has said Singapore will set out plans to hike its carbon tax in the 2022 Budget.

The Turkish Government has recently enacted Law No. 7,351, which provides corporate tax reliefs for exporters and manufacturing businesses.

Singapore has announced personal income tax hikes and higher wealth taxes on the territory's wealthiest individuals, as well as plans to ramp up the territory's carbon tax, in its newly released Budget.

The Guernsey Government on April 26, 2022, announced that a parliamentary debate on tax reform, scheduled for July, will now be delayed until the end of the year, to allow time for consideration of corporate tax options. Earlier, Guernsey's Policy and Resources Committee proposed that the territory could implement a goods and services tax to buoy the territory's finances.

Food delivery apps are becoming increasingly popular, offering convenience, variety, and quick access to meals, reshaping how consumers dine and order food.

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