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.

The Canadian Government has said that it will review its tax ruling process and voluntary disclosures program as part of its response to recommendations made last year by a parliamentary committee.

The Australian Government is to simplify taxpayers' compliance with rules designed to prevent shareholders from using private company profits without paying tax at their marginal rates.

Estonia has topped the Tax Foundation's International Tax Competitiveness Index for the fifth successive year, being deemed to have the "best tax code in the OECD."

The Australian Government is consulting on the tax implications of a new accounting standard for insurance contracts.

Australia is to require businesses seeking to tender for significant federal government procurement contracts to demonstrate their record of tax compliance.

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 said that it has noticed a number of common errors being made in activity statements since the "goods and services tax at settlement" system was introduced for the real estate industry in July 2018.

Legislation before Australia's parliament would make company directors liable for a failed company's GST liabilities in certain circumstances.

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 Irish Revenue has published guidance on dual-resident companies that explains new rules introduced under the BEPS multilateral convention on tax treaties.

The Swiss Federal Department of Finance has launched a consultation on the introduction of the automatic exchange of information in tax matters with a series of other countries.

Turkey is the jurisdiction with the world's most complex tax and accounting requirements, according to a new report by TMF Group.

On December 24, 2019, a law was published in Turkey's official gazette extending a value-added tax exemption for the purchase of machinery and equipment.

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

The Dutch Tax and Customs Administration has launched a campaign to monitor the employment status of individuals working in the care and construction sectors.

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

The OECD's Global Forum has found Switzerland largely compliant with the international standards on transparency and the exchange of information upon request.

The Austrian parliament has approved measures to exempt allowances and bonuses paid to employees from all taxes as part of the Government's economic response to the COVID-19 crisis.

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.

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

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

Norway's Minister of Finance, Siv Jensen, has said that Norway will adopt a national digital services tax if negotiations towards an international digital tax framework fail to materialize this year.

The European Commission has launched infringement proceedings against 14 member states for failing to implement the so-called value-added tax quick fixes.

In a study involving rats, a high sugar diet during pregnancy altered levels of sex steroid hormones (e.g. progesterone) and dopamine in their brains,

Scientists from the University of Southampton studied the association between BMI and prolonged sickness absence, cutting down at work and health-related

Propionic acid can serve as a potent immunomodulatory supplement to multiple sclerosis (MS) drugs, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the journal iCell/i.

Nutrition and diet have a profound impact on microbial composition in the gut, according to a study. The findings of the study are published in the journal iNutrition Reviews/i.

Unconscious food cravings were found to make bariatric surgery less effective for extreme obesity, stated new research that was accepted for presentation

An active ingredient found in fruit peels and some herbs can halt and reduce further damage to neurons in multiple sclerosis (MS), reports a new study.

Media use is a known contributor to childhood obesity, but reductions in screen use only partly eliminate media influence. Family-centered, media literacy-oriented

Sugary soda consumption downs kidney blood flow, and raise the risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to a study in the iAmerican Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology/i.

Exposure to lead (in the air and topsoil) can affect fertility in both men and women, finds a recent study. The study was a first that comes after news

Women were only found to benefit from continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask whereas in men it was mainly associated with reduced sexual quality of life, finds a new study.

WHO has officially recognized 'compulsive sexual behavior' a mental disorder. An excessive engrossment with sexual fantasies urges, and behaviors that

A study on teenage girls and young women in Kenya reveals that if the first sexual encounter is forced, such women are four times more likely to experience gender-based violence later in life.

Gonorrhoea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection across the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries with almost 5,00,000 reported cases between 2007 and 2016.

Exposure to environmental pollutants can cause modifications in brain development, which can affect sexual development and fertility for several generations, reveals a new study.

Skin vaccination generates protective CD8 T-cells that are recruited to the genital tissues. Study conducted by King's College London scientists has revealed

Use of psychological techniques to communicate the risk of developing periodontal disease to patients improved their dental hygiene over a three month period.

Gum disease bacterium was found to travel throughout the body, exuding toxins linked to Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and aspiration pneumonia, reported new findings.

New study uses neutrons to try to develop better and less costly dental restorations. Teeth damaged by trauma or disease require treatment to look

Colombo, December 10, 2013. At the request of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), organized a stakeholder meeting to discuss improvements that can be made to the management of municipal waste in the City of Colombo. The meeting was held at the […]

Recycling waste and delivering a safe nutrient-rich fertilizer for food production

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

More information on climate-friendly plant-based diets is needed among American consumers, revealed results from a national survey released today by the

To better understand the risk factors and the effects of drought in the region, IWMI conducted a survey of 400 commercial fruit farms in Jordan, one the most water-scarce countries in the world.

IWMI plans to use the data from Futurepump’s 4,000 pumps to calculate how much water is being extracted at any given time, which can help governments ensure it is used sustainably, with limits on extraction or a shift to less water-intensive crops.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) South Asia Office in India, convened a multi-sectoral panel discussion on - “Creating Sustainable Value Chains for Transforming Food Systems” on 4 Feb 2020, at the National Agricultural Science Complex in Delhi.

Furthermore, wastewater volumes are increasing quickly, with a projected rise of roughly 24% by 2030, 51% by 2050.