The tax agencies of China and Kazakhstan, with involvement also from the OECD, hosted a three-day tax conference to discuss the provision of capacity building support from China for those countries that will be involved in China's Belt and Road Initiative. It was attended by more than 250 delegates from 49 tax administrations, four international organizations, and five academic institutions.

Drugs approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may hold promise in fighting the new infection known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), stated UTSW scientists.

Medications being used to treat COVID-19 are known to cause prolongation of the QTc in some people. The QTc is an indicator of the health of the heart's electrical recharging system.

Regardless of patient gender, age or smoking status, teprotumumab, the first FDA-approved drug for thyroid eye disease, provides significant improvement

How the long-term use of proton pump inhibitors could increase the risk of developing dementia has been explained in a study published in the journal iAlzheimer's (and) Dementia/i.

On October 16, 2019, the Italian Council of Ministers approved the draft Budget law for 2020, which will prevent an automatic rise in the rate of value-added tax, and includes further measures designed to combat tax avoidance and evasion.

Tax officials in Armenia are to receive support from the Italian Revenue Agency to implement initiatives to tackle tax base erosion and profit shifting.

New Zealand's opposition National Party has released its plans for tax reform, announcing it would review whether to lower the corporate tax rate.

The Philippines' House of Representatives on September 9, 2019, approved two bills to overhaul the rates in place on financial services and passive income.

On October 23, 2019, Slovenia's National Assembly adopted a package of tax measures which includes changes to corporate, personal, and capital gains taxes.

The German Cabinet has approved a proposal to reduce the rate of value-added tax on electronic publications. The rate is expected to drop from January 1, 2020.

On September 19, 2019, the lower house of the Austrian parliament approved the first part of a package of tax reforms that will introduce a digital tax as well as bring about changes to certain value-added tax rules.

On November 18, 2019, the Government of the Czech Republic announced that it has agreed on a draft law to introduce a tax on digital services, which will now be submitted to parliament.

Appleby, the offshore law firm, has spoken out against recent media coverage, which implies but does not allege that there is wrongdoing in the papers recently exposed that include information on its clients' tax affairs.

Malta's tonnage tax scheme has been conditionally approved for a period of 10 years by the European Commission under EU state aid rules.

Last year, the tax burden in OECD countries reached its highest level recorded, at 34.2 percent of gross domestic product, up 20 basis points on 2016, largely due to increasing taxes on personal consumption and companies.

Belgium's Council of Ministers has approved a draft law that would temporarily treat the United Kingdom as a member of the European Union for Belgian tax purposes should the UK leave the EU having failed to agree any withdrawal arrangements.

Switzerland's country-by-country reporting regime meets international standards and the country effectively exchanges the reports it receives with other countries, an OECD peer review has concluded.

On October 23, the Swiss Federal Council adopted a dispatch on a protocol to the double tax agreement with Iran, which implements the minimum standards for such agreements.

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 letter published on April 29, 2019, the United States National Foreign Trade Council urged the Senate to approve several pending double tax avoidance treaties.

On June 25, 2019, the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved amendments to four double tax avoidance agreements which have been pending in the Senate for several years.

The United States Senate has approved protocols to four existing bilateral double tax avoidance treaties that have been pending in the chamber for as much as a decade.

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.

The Irish Government is arguing that favorable tax treatment was not granted to Apple under two rulings deemed by the EU to have constituted illegal state aid to the company.

Apple, the world's largest taxpayer, has released a statement seeking to debunk claims in media about its tax payments around the world, following coverage in recent days about it seeking tax mitigation arrangements in Jersey due to international tax changes in Ireland affecting its existing tax arrangements.

On November 18, 2019, the Government of the Czech Republic announced that it has agreed on a draft law to introduce a tax on digital services, which will now be submitted to parliament.

On December 17, 2019, the Dutch Senate approved numerous tax measures as part of the 2020 Tax Plan, including changes to corporate, individual, and value-added taxes.

On December 19, 2019, Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies approved the Government's Budget for 2020, which among other measures includes important changes to the validity of advanced tax rulings.

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

On April 4, 2020, Malta released payroll tax-related guidance for employers on the Government's responses to the COVID-19 epidemic.

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.

On November 15, 2019, Luxembourg's Council of Ministers approved a protocol to the 2018 double tax treaty with France, making changes to the way cross-border workers are taxed.

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.

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

A new study published in The BMJ revealed that weight loss at the 12 month-up diminished, and improvements in heart disease risk factors largely disappeared,

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

People in open relationships (relationship with more than one partner) have been found to be as happy as people who are in a Monogamous relationship (one partner for one person), finds a new study.

A drug-free nanotechnology-based method for detecting and destroying the bacteria that cause dental plaque has been devised by bioengineering Associate

Wearing dental braces can straighten your crooked teeth, but it may not always bring happiness and self-confidence, reports a new study. Research undertaken

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

International Water Management Institute (IWMI) launched a mobile app, called AgRISE, in support of a new national agricultural insurance scheme.

In humans and vertebrates light pollution was found to suppress melatonin production, said researchers from Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB).

Risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) increases several folds from short-term exposure to low concentrations of delicate particulate matter PM2.

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.

As we mark World Water Day, experts and communities alike will be sharing messages on water scarcity under climate change, emphasizing the need to use this precious resource judiciously. ‘Don’t take more than you need,’ they’ll advise.

Across drought-hit southern Africa, COVID-19 has spurred governments to dispatch water tankers, drill boreholes and repair taps - solutions experts and residents of thirsty slums and villages say must last long after the pandemic has passed.

Fitness and health experts advised gym freaks to hit the neighbourhood parks and make their home a place to work out with the growing COVID-19 scare. They,