New Zealand's Inland Revenue Department has set out the range of supports available to businesses in response to the impact of COVID-19.

Canada, Mexico, and the US have signed an agreement on amendments to their proposed new trade pact.

The UK tax agency has confirmed that it is investigating around 170 professional soccer players' tax affairs and around 20 football clubs, focusing on the taxation of image rights.

The Canadian Government has announced the establishment of an independent advisory committee on offshore tax evasion and aggressive tax planning.

The Canada Revenue Authority is auditing over 750 taxpayers with suspected links to offshore "tax havens" and investigating 20 cases of tax evasion, the Government has said.

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.

French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation has issued a statement on its tax arrangements in response to media coverage of the so-called "Paradise Papers."

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 Taxation Office has announced that it is expanding its data matching program to focus on information it receives from partner organizations on shares held by taxpayers.

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 has welcomed a significant ruling from Australia's High Court, which enables the tax agency to use information obtained from data leaks, even if leaked from a law firm.

In a new report for G20 ministers, the OECD has provided an update on its work to tackle tax base erosion and profit shifting relating to multinational businesses.

The Irish Government has released additional guidance on its proposals for new anti-hybrid rules, responding to feedback to a consultation launched in November 2018.

Tax agencies from 31 countries discussed the ways they are using data analysis tools to improve tax enforcement and administration, at the first meeting of the IOTA Forum on Tax Debt Management, held in Prague, Czech Republic, On October 1-3, 2019.

The Irish Revenue has updated its guidelines on requesting Mutual Agreement Procedure assistance in Ireland.

The Irish Revenue has updated its guidance on Irish exit tax legislation to reflect changes introduced by Finance Act 2019.

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.

HM Revenue and Customs, the UK tax authority, has welcomed a ruling in its favor against a contrived tax avoidance scheme involving an entity in Jersey and the Cayman Islands.

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.

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

On November 12, 2019, a law was published in the official gazette of Costa Rica which ratifies the updated Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the United States.

The UK tax agency HM Revenue and Customs has released guidance for taxpayers affected by the Loan Charge.

The United States Internal Revenue Service has recently updated its list of frequently asked questions and answers on the tax treatment of transactions involving virtual currencies.

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.

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.

On March 2, 2020, the German Ministry of Finance released a draft discussion document on new rules implementing the sixth European Union Directive on Administrative Cooperation, under which intermediaries are obligated to report certain tax planning schemes.

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.

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

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.

On April 6, 2020, the Dutch Ministry of Finance published guidance material on the application of the BEPS Multilateral Instrument and its effect on Dutch tax treaties.

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

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.

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.

The Irish Revenue has updated its guidance on the impact on relief claims of the late filing of corporate tax returns, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

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.

On January 6, 2019, a decree was published in the French Official Journal to modify the list of non-cooperative states and territories in tax matters.

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.

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

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.

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.

Among people aged 15-49 years, every day, there are more than 1 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs), revealed data released today by the World Health Organization.

Water Fluoridation may reduce dental decay in U.S. children and adolescents, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the iJournal of Dental Research/i.

Protruding teeth in kids are more prone to injuries and long-term consequences. Therefore, regular dental check-ups, especially for kids, are necessary to protect their dental health.

Elite athletes have poor oral health despite brushing their teeth more regularly than most people, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the iBritish Dental Journal/i.

New biodegradable rods can effectively treat periodontal disease. Researchers of the Institute of Pharmacy at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg

Tokyo, Japan (March 21, 2014): A research program that pinpointed how perverse subsidies were causing India to export virtual water has won the coveted ‘Water for Life’ UN-Water Best Practices Award. The IWMI-Tata Water Policy Research Program (ITP), a partnership between the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the Sir Ratan Tata […]

Extensive costs of salt-damaged soils include $27 billion+ in lost crop value per year.

New study urges future dam projects to consider better disease control measures

World Water Day dialogue stresses need for public and private sectors to work together for water-secure growth.

A new IWMI partnership with Digital Earth Africa (DEA) will leverage state of the art remote-sensing and data management technologies to enhance the ability of African Governments, communities and companies to better manage their water.