Monday, 5 August 2013

Canada draws up directive on beacons in 787 fire investigation

(Reuters) - Canada's air transport regulator is drawing up a safety directive concerning the emergency beacons at the center of an investigation into a fire on a parked Boeing 787 Dreamliner last month, it said on Saturday.

The directive - which would list action that airlines or manufacturers must take - will take into account inspections done by manufacturer Honeywell International and its Canadian sub-contractor Instrumar Ltd, Transport Canada said in a statement.

"Transport Canada is developing an airworthiness directive in consultation with the FAA (U.S. Federal Aviation Administration) and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency)," the statement said.

"The airworthiness directive would be based on the information collected from the equipment inspections mandated by the FAA, information already provided by Honeywell, and the results of (Transport Canada's) inspections of Honeywell and Instrumar."

Emergency Locator Transmitters - designed to help locate an aircraft in the event of a crash - marketed by Honeywell have emerged as a key focus of the investigation into a blaze which caused serious damage to a parked 787 jet owned by Ethiopian Airlines at London's Heathrow airport on July 12.

The FAA has ordered inspections on the beacons in 787s, and Boeing last week expanded the inspections to cover more than 1,000 aircraft of all types that are fitted with the devices.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Canadian directive would expand inspections to cover all types of planes that use the suspect emergency transmitters, including jets from Boeing, Europe's Airbus and Dassault Aviation.

Although the 787 is designed and manufactured in the United States, Transport Canada is the lead safety agency on the beacons, which are manufactured in Newfoundland.

An earlier model of Honeywell beacon faced scrutiny from Canada's regulator in a previous airworthiness directive in 2009.

It called for suspect parts to be modified or replaced after tests found that two units were unable to broadcast the emergency homing signal on the right frequency.

(Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Tim Hepher; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/canada-draws-directive-beacons-787-fire-investigation-192715734.html

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Sunday, 4 August 2013

Spectators Injured After Old Power Plant Implosion

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ? One man had his leg severed Saturday and four others were also injured as shrapnel from the demolition of a power plant flew into a crowd of more than 1,000 spectators that had gathered in California's Central Valley to watch it come down, officials said.

The crowd gathered at 6 a.m., some sleeping in their cars overnight, in the nearby parking lot of a Lowe's Home Improvement store in Bakersfield to watch the planned implosion of the steam power plant owned by the public utility Pacific Gas and Electric that had been decommissioned for decades.

After buildings came down in a fiery crash, a police officer heard a man screaming for help and saw that his leg had been blown off.

"It was a piece of shrapnel that came flying out of the explosion and came across and went through a couple of chain link fences," said police Lt. Scott Tunnicliffe.

The 44-year-old victim also had major injuries to the other leg, and may lose it also, Tunnicliffe said. Officials declined to release his name.

Four other spectators were treated for minor injuries, said Kern County Fire engineer Leland Davis. All of the injured spectators were standing beyond a perimeter set up to ensure public safety, Davis said.

Fred Garten, 49, was standing behind the perimeter when a piece of metal roughly the size of a household door came flying at him and grazed his right leg, leaving his socks and shorts splattered with blood.

"It's a good gouge, but it's just scratches," Garten told the Bakersfield Californian, which first reported on the incident. "I just feel bad for the other guy. They took him away on a gurney, and I'm walking."

Kelly Patt, 21, who arrived five hours early to get a good view of the blast, said his girlfriend got sprayed with shrapnel but wasn't badly hurt. Patt said he was far more disturbed at seeing the man with the severed leg.

"I saw that dude's leg and I had to walk away," he told the Californian. "There was a lot of blood, a lot of blood."

Several cars were also damaged by the shrapnel.

Residents of the city about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles were eager to see the old plant torn down to make way for new development. The plant was decommissioned in 1986 and has been idle ever since.

Pacific Gas and Electric reached an agreement with the city to clean up the property and prepare it for sale. The company hired subcontractors to handle the demolition of the plant's boiler structures and worked with local authorities to set up a safe perimeter 1,000 feet from the site, said Denny Boyles, a company spokesman.

"We are deeply saddened that this happened," Boyles said. "We're looking for answers like everyone else."

Boyles said the boiler structure consisted of two towers measuring 140 feet high that supported four 200,000 gallon tanks.

Cleveland Wrecking Co. of Covina, Calif., the main contractor on the demolition, issued a statement expressing sympathy and vowing a thorough investigation but declined further comment.

"This was a terrible accident, and our hearts go out to the individuals who were injured," the statement said. "We will be conducting a full investigation and will cooperate with the authorities."

Several subcontractors also worked on the project.

A previous accident at the same demolition site in 2012 killed a 51-year-old Cleveland Wrecking worker who was suspended in a basket and cutting beams with a torch when one of the beams hit him and he fell 50 feet to his death.

In June of this year in Philadelphia, the wall of a building under demolition collapsed onto a thrift store and killed six people. That contractor was not among those hired for the Bakersfield plant.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/03/power-plant-demolition_n_3701137.html

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Maximize savings during the New Mexico Tax Free Holiday

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August is here which means back-to-school season has officially begun.

Most families spend upwards of $500 per child on school necessities according to Huntington Bank?s Annual Backpack Index. ??

Starting today, families can save and extra 6-7% off of selected school items. These include school supplies like paper and pencils, clothing, software, and computers under $1000.

Certain department stores are even offering additional coupons to New Mexico residents for shopping at their businesses this weekend. Starting Friday, 3 p.m. to close and Saturday 9 am ? 1 pm, JC Penney offers $10 off purchases of $25 or more on select apparel, shoes and accessories, and $10 haircuts for kids inside JC Penney salons. Kohl?s is offering coupons for an additional $10 off of every $50 spent.

Most stores will hold longer hours in order to accommodate the large crowds of shoppers that are expected to be out, and they recommend shoppers get to the stores early. Sale items tend to sell out quickly due to the holiday.

However, for those who want savings but would rather avoid crowds, the tax free incentive is also extended to online shopping.

JC Penney has two locations in Albuquerque, one Coronado Center and one at the Cottonwood Mall.

Kohl?s has three locations in Albuquerque, one at the Coronado Center, one located at 6800 Holly Ave NE, and one location on the Westside at 3715 Ellison Rd NW.

Source: http://westside.kob.com/news/schools/245021-maximize-savings-during-new-mexico-tax-free-holiday

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Brazilian President's October Visit: The Right Time for a Brazil-U.S. Tax Treaty?

While Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff?s state visit may be just under three months away, and given the normal sluggishness of the U.S. government?s interagency process in preparations, now is the time to start thinking about what the Obama administration wants to achieve. Brazil has been the focus of considerable attention lately, with mass protests, the Papal visit, and build-up for both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics garnering countless headlines. Given the South American country?s potential in world affairs, it should come as no surprise that the United States is continuing efforts to increase ties with Brazil.

Over the last two years, the Obama and Rousseff administrations have made efforts to increase high level engagement. In May, Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Brasilia, where he extended a state visit invitation to Rousseff and shared his vision of making 2013 the ?start of a new era of Brazil-U.S. relations.? Now, the White House looks to greet President Rousseff for an official state dinner on October 23.

Rousseff?s trip will mark the first official state visit by a Brazilian president since Fernando Henrique Cardoso journeyed to the White House in 1995, and the first state visit of Obama?s second term. The trip could provide a unique opportunity for Brazil and the United States to develop substantive, long-lasting initiatives that advance both countries? economic goals to achieve mutual prosperity.

Despite growing trade, investment, and economic ties between the two countries, until recently there appeared to be little appetite in Brazil for implementing a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) or a bilateral investment treaty any time soon.

But a combination of factors, including a marked drop in President Rousseff?s popularity as a result of weeks of sustained protests and the United States? and other regional partners? moving forward on an assortment of trade deals, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Pacific Alliance, and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) with the European Union, have left Brazil, as one politician mentioned, "outside of the party, and dancing alone at home."

This situation creates an opportunity for Brazil to reconsider deeper commercial cooperation with the United States, and the timing of the October visit could not be better.

The conclusion of a bilateral tax treaty is still a very ambitious proposal, but more realistic in this context. The start of serious negotiations on a tax treaty should be a priority, and the outcome, of October?s visit.

But why is a bilateral tax treaty a good first step in institutionalizing growing bilateral economic cooperation between the United States and Brazil?

Q1: What would the bilateral tax treaty do, and why is it beneficial?

A1: A tax treaty provides exemptions from taxes or reduced tax rates that eliminate double taxation of income, which is currently a major disincentive for U.S. corporations interested in operating or investing in Brazil. In addition, a tax treaty, following the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)?s Model Tax Convention, would address transfer pricing, withholding rates, tax dispute resolution, and tax sparing, facilitating commerce between Brazil and the United States.

By demonstrating a commitment to reducing taxation, a tax treaty will promote cross-border investment. This incentivizes corporations, both small and large, to invest abroad, ultimately making the companies more competitive in each other?s markets. The U.S. Investment Climate Statement of 2012 considered Brazil a friendly environment for foreign investment, but acknowledges that ?burdensome tax and regulatory requirements exist.? The United States and Brazil have both emphasized the importance of deepening cooperation in trade and commerce, and a bilateral tax treaty seems the logical first substantive step in increasing economic output and strengthening investment relations.

Q2: Why is a bilateral treaty not yet in place?

A2: The United States and Brazil have a history of trade disputes and disagreements over tax policies. After signing the bilateral Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) in 2007, the countries released a joint statement explaining that their divergence ?on a number of important areas of tax treaty policy [makes] the conclusion of a mutually accepted treaty difficult.? Past disputes have also revolved around the enforcement of intellectual property rights in Brazil, agricultural trade, customs, and legal procedures. This has made negotiations between the countries difficult, and even now an FTA or an investment treaty remains unlikely.

Before Obama?s visit to Brasilia in 2011, the potential for a bilateral tax treaty was raised within the U.S. Congress. Then-Senator Richard Lugar submitted a resolution urging President Obama to push for the negotiation of the treaty during his visit. Although some support existed within the U.S. Congress, the fierce debate within the Brazilian Congress over the much simpler Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) demonstrated that, at the time, Brazil was not prepared for a formal tax treaty with the United States.

Nevertheless, the Brazilian Congress has begun voicing interest in reaching more formal, comprehensive economic agreements with the United States. Brazilian senators originally rejected the TIEA citing its alleged violation of Brazilian constitutional principles?but have since overcome these reservations.

Q3: How can Obama and Rousseff push a tax treaty now?

A3: This March, the U.S.-Brazil TTIEA came into effect. After stalling in the Brazilian Senate for six years, the TIEA now allows the countries to share information on tax collection, helping prevent tax evasion.

The ratification of the TIEA represents an important first step toward a full tax treaty, its approval demonstrating the favorable tax environment developing between the countries. In the current political environment, both the United States and Brazil are in a position to push for more comprehensive tax policies that encourage investment and facilitate trade. This year?s implementation of the TIEA shows attitudes are changing, albeit slowly.

Considering this major advancement, Rousseff?s visit comes at a perfect and critical time. Currently, the United States has tax treaties with over 60 countries in every region of the world; for its part, Brazil has tax treaties with 24 countries.

Brazil is the seventh largest economy in the world, but remains the only one of the top ten economies with which the United States does not yet have a tax treaty in place. The state visit allows the presidents to take advantage of the window of opportunity and momentum granted by the TIEA?s approval to move forward on this issue.

Conclusion: The economic relationship between the United States and Brazil is growing in importance, but ample opportunities exist to strengthen it. Today, Brazil is the United States? ninth largest trade partner, and the state visit highlights U.S. interest and willingness to increase cooperation.

The visit may well provide an opportunity to give a much needed legal framework to the countries? relationship, serving as an excellent channel to push important and timely issues.

The White House should take advantage of momentum within the Brazilian Congress on the TIEA and place the bilateral tax treaty?a tangible deliverable?at the center of the state visit?s agenda.
Should the United States provide enough momentum of its own, Obama and Rousseff may reach a mutually beneficial agreement to push the treaty forward in both congresses.
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Though working through the U.S. Congress presents serious challenges, an agreement to promote the tax treaty is a symbol of cooperation which signals an opportunity for the countries to achieve mutual prosperity and increase their global competitiveness?let?s not waste it

Carl Meacham is the director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. Michelle Sinclair, intern scholar with the CSIS Americas Program, provided research assistance.

Critical Questions is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s).

? 2013 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. All rights reserved.
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Source: http://csis.org/publication/brazilian-presidents-october-visit-right-time-brazil-us-tax-treaty

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