Description: An actuary has twins...and uses regression analysis to estimate their fetal vital statistics.

Description: This is a brief report on the trip that the author made with two other SOA members, Bruce Schobel and Jim Wiseman, to Almaty, Kazakhstan during the week of September 1, 2003. They were invited by the Actuarial Society of Kazakhstan [ASK] to conduct several seminars for their members and various government officials. The trip was financed by USAID through a grant to the Arizona-Kazakhstan Foundation. The topics of the seminars were pension/social security reform, role of the actuary in an economy, annuity pricing/ reserving and professionalism.

Description: This article discusses the actuarial profession in Australia including the Institute of Actuaries of Australia. Also discussed are the financial services industry in Australia and the regulatory environment.

Description: The International Section Council is pleased to announce the winners of the Country Feature Award held for the Ambassadors by the section. First place went to the Ambassador in Vietnam.

Description: Discussion of regulatory action on the Appointed Actuary and Participating Insurance.

Description: This article outlines the challenges, potential conflicts and rewards in working in the foreign business unit of an organization.

Description: Deferred bonus policyholder dividend reserves arise because “the policyholders’ share of net income … that cannot be distributed to stockholders shall be excluded from stockholders’ equity” by establishing a reserve. This article provides background on local minimum policyholder participation practices in the US and Europe, presents relevant accounting issues and discuss the two different accounting interpretations and make a recommendation as to which the authors feel is most appropriate at this point in time.

Description: This newsletter contains several articles: The Institute of Actuaries of Japan thanks the SOA Malaysia updates on RBC An update on the SOA international experience survey regulations changing in Bermuda, and An update from the Swedish Actuarial Society Aktuarieforeningen.

Description: This is an article discussing the update on the SOA international experience study which has expanded the topics being studied from individual life insurance mortality and persistency experience to also include agent retention and productivity.

Description: This article explores the challenges of financial reporting in the 21st century particularly on the international scene.