Caribbean territory Aruba has released instructions on the completion of transfer pricing documentation and released model templates for completion.

Germany's IT systems are not ready for the VAT "quick fix" simplifications that entered into force on January 1, 2020, according to the European Commission.

The European Commission has again asked Malta to amend its method for calculating VAT on yacht leasing.

Hong Kong's 2020 Budget includes plans for a one-off reduction of profits tax, salaries tax, and tax under personal assessment.

The European Council has authorized the opening of negotiations for a new partnership with the UK, and mandated the Commission to act as the EU's negotiator.

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 OECD has released guidance for national policymakers on the impact of COVID-19 on the treatment of cross-border workers and the interpretation of international tax treaty rules.

Highlights: On behalf of ISPEN 2019, Medindia interviewed Dr. BS Ramakrishna to throw light on the evolving ro

Highlights: On behalf of ISPEN 2019, Medindia interviewed Dr. Esther Myers on her work in the implementation o

Highlights: On behalf of ISPEN 2019, Medindia interviewed Dr. Usha Sriram on her talk on Metabolic syndrome D

Highlights: Unique surgery leaves a 100kg man with two beating hearts by a technique called the 'Piggyba

On April 9, 2020, the OECD released an update to a spreadsheet hosted on its website that maps out all the various tax policy responses countries have taken to support individual and corporate taxpayers following the outbreak of COVID-19.

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.

Bolivia has announced a number of filing and payment extensions for taxpayers, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

On April 16, 2020, the United States Internal Revenue Service issued a set of frequently asked questions and answers to help inform taxpayers about transfer pricing documentation best practices.

On April 15, 2020, the United States Internal Revenue Service unveiled the "Get My Payment" online tool that will allow taxpayers to receive economic impact payments under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

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 17, 2020, the President of Poland signed legislation into law to extend transfer pricing documentation deadlines, as part of a package of additional COVID-19 economic support measures.

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.

Hong Kong has updated its guidance on advance rulings, to reflect changes to Hong Kong's practices as a result of its efforts to comply with the OECD's minimum standards proposed as part of the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) Action Plan.

On April 23, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance confirmed that taxpayers suffering from liquidity problems due to COVID-19 can apply for a refund of advance tax payments made in 2019.

The United Arab Emirates' Federal Tax Authority has announced changes to value-added tax filing and payment deadlines, for tax periods that ended on March 31.

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.

G7 finance ministers have said that there is an urgent need to address the tax challenges posed by the digitalization of the economy.

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.

The Governments of France and the United States are reportedly close to settling a dispute surrounding France's digital services tax.

On September 23, 2019, the French Government outlined a number of measures that will be included in the 2020 Finance Law to ensure the payment of value-added tax on items bought by French residents from online marketplaces.

The overall tax burden in the European Union relative to GDP rose slightly in 2018, to 40.3 percent, the Eurostat has announced.

Nine EU member states have called on the European Commission to draw up proposals for an EU-wide aviation tax.

The United States may impose additional duties of up to 100 percent on certain French products in retaliation for France's digital services tax, which a newly published report by the US Trade Representative has concluded discriminates against certain US companies.

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has presented a final proposal for a European Union financial transactions tax to the 10 member states participating in the initiative.

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).

German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has said he is confident that an agreement can be reached on a European Union financial transactions tax.

On January 24, 2020, the European Commission issued formal notices to numerous European Union member states with regards to lapses in the implementation of various EU anti-tax avoidance directives.

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.

The finance ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have put their names to a statement calling for countries to reach an agreement on solving the tax challenges of the digital economy by the end of 2020.

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.

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.

Different types of food are associated with risks of different types of stroke, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the iEuropean Heart Journal/i.

Drinking 12 ounces of sugary drinks more than once a day is associated with lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) or good cholesterol,

Best preoperative definition of cancer-related malnutrition may depend on the type of cancer the patient has, reports a new study. The findings of the

Hunger and malnutrition affect many children under five years of age. However, mapping childhood malnutrition and implementing new strategies to fight

Children who consume full-fat dairy products do not show an increased risk of obesity or heart disease, according to an Edith Cowan University (ECU) research

Soy is widely viewed as a healthful food. However, whether intake of soy products (unfermented and fermented) is associated with longer life expectancy is unclear.

Being distracted by technology during mealtimes may reduce the amount of food a person eats, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the iJournal of Nutrition/i.

Caffeine may raise your ability to problem-solve, but it won't boost your creativity, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal iConsciousness and Cognition/i.

Intermittent fasting has worked on the liver to help prevent disease, stated researchers in Australia. The findings will help medical scientists working

Senior citizens can preserve muscle mass by consuming more protein at breakfast or lunchtime. The body's mechanisms for producing new muscle require

High-fat and low-protein diets lead to metabolic disorders in their offspring, revealed researchers at the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR).