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

The Australian Taxation Office has issued an e-brief on how companies can assess if they are required to submit a reportable tax position schedule.

The Australian Taxation Office has explained how its Early Intervention Strategy helps it to identify tax agents at risk of non-compliance.

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ) has given a guarded welcome to the New Zealand Government's response to the recommendations of the Tax Working Group.

As a small open economy, Ireland may be affected significantly by the OECD's proposals to modify how taxing rights are allocated among countries, Irish business association Ibec has said.

The Irish Revenue has published guidance on the tax compliance obligations that arise from mergers and divisions.

HM Revenue and Customs has written to VAT-registered businesses that trade with the EU, advising them on how to prepare for changes to customs, excise, and VAT in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Ireland's Comptroller and Auditor General has released a new report on the Irish Revenue's compliance activities during 2018, and its efforts to improve how it interacts with taxpayers since a review in 2012.

A general election will take place in Ireland on February 8, with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar saying that this date provides a window to ensure a new government is in place ahead of the next European Council meeting in March.

Switzerland and South Korea have signed a joint declaration on the automatic exchange of tax information from 2018.

Jersey has signed a double taxation agreement with the Republic of Cyprus. This is the island's twelfth agreement that meets the international standard for such agreements.

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.

Abu Dhabi Global Market, the low-tax international financial center, is seeking feedback on its proposal to allow the formation of "foundations," a trust-like entity widely used in civil law jurisdictions.

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.

Malta has become the latest country to ratify the OECD's multilateral convention to counter base erosion and profit shifting.

The Dutch Government has launched a consultation exercise on plans to review the country's tax treaty policy and to draw up a list of low-tax jurisdictions for the purposes of enforcing incoming controlled foreign company rules.

Switzerland has made its first exchanges under the new international automatic exchange of information framework, the Common Reporting Standard.

On October 7, 2019, the Dutch Government announced the launch of a consultation on the 2020 edition of the list of low-tax jurisdictions for the purposes of enforcing existing and forthcoming anti-avoidance legislation intended to tackle base erosion and profit shifting.

On December 2, 2019, the United States Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations on the foreign tax credit following major changes to the US tax code.

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.

On January 8, 2020, the UK Government released a policy paper setting out how the UK will temporarily adopt the "DAC 6" EU disclosure requirements on intermediaries that design or sell potentially harmful tax schemes.

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

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.

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

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 Chartered Institute of Taxation has called on the UK Government to clarify questions remaining about the UK's Digital Services Tax, which became effective this month.

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.

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.

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

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 OECD has released new stage two peer reviews on seven countries' implementation of the BEPS Action 14 minimum standard, on improving tax dispute resolution, covering Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Sweden.

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

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

Mediterranean-rich diet was found to correlate with higher cognitive function, said researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National

Adding plenty of veggies to your pregnancy diet can reduce the risk of preterm birth. So, hurry up, Start following the traditional vegetable diet to deliver healthy full-term babies.

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

Children should be taught effective digital search strategies for health information as lack of knowledge can lead to misinterpreting portions, adopt

In low income countries, educational status was found to have a positive influence on a healthy diet, according to new research examining European nutritional data.

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.

Vulvovaginal problems such as dryness and pain during intercourse may get reduced by estradiol tablets, finds a new study. The findings of this study

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.

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