Thursday, July 29, American and Canadian press to cover the following topics:

The New York Times

Morgue beaten bodies of illegal immigrants

The Wall Street Journal

Siemens out of the crisis

The Washington Times

The head of the budget management was awarded to 900 thousand

USA Today

Amazon Launches New Kindle

the Globe and Mail

British professionals are outraged need to pass a language test

full version of the review of American and Canadian press, you can read here

Introduction bank tax for three years does not mean that in future it will be canceled – said Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Orbán Viktor). In the future the Government will consider the option of American type of tax, which will replace the current one. According to Viktor Orban’s new tax is “certainly higher” and “it could be called aggressive».

head of the Hungarian Banking Association Tamas Erdei (Erdei Tamás) told the Hungarian news agency MTI , that the banks were forced to have adopted a new tax as a “necessary evil” and called for negotiations with the government, to the next year, this tax decrease.

By 2012, the tax should be lowered to European levels, as Higher taxes could curb lending and thus will cause damage to the economy – he said.

Last week, BP announced the sale of assets in the U.S., Canada and Egypt worth $7 billion, and the intention to sell the assets in Pakistan , Vietnam and Alaska. Over the next 18 months, BP expects to reduce debt to $10 billion U.S. President ordered to allocate $20 billion fund to support, but BP last month rejected a $10 billion, saying that it would cut invistitsii to obtain the necessary funds. According to forecasts Bloomberg, an oil spill will cost BP $33 billion
removed from the post of executive director of BP, Tony Hayward (Tony Hayward) will be appointed a board member of TNK-BP.

tax burden (tax revenues as a percentage of GDP) in Latvia in 2008 was 28,9%. Fewer only in Romania (28%). Thus, Latvia is well below the EU average of 37% of GDP. Over the past two years, the tax system in Latvia has changed significantly, a number of taxes was raised, the introduction of new, but in any case, since the entry into the EU, Latvia has always been a top five countries with the lowest tax burden.

It would seem that the inhabitants of Latvia should be happy because they live in a country where they are not saddled with high taxes. However, in 2010 a survey Eurobarometer showed that one in six Latvian most important issue on a personal level, says the tax system.

If you look at how the tax burden is formed, or rather, how it is distributed unevenly between the different positions, you can see the other side of the coin. For example, in 2008, an employee 9% of his salary gave to social contributions, while 25% – on the NPA. Given the possible benefits tax burden in this case is about 33%. At the same time another person got income from bank deposits, which are then not subject to any taxes. For him, the burden was 0%. When calculating the overall tax burden into account both indicators. It turns out that the question is, who bore a relatively small burden, and whether its distribution is equitable.

The draft “Guidelines for the development of the system of taxes and duties” of the Ministry of Finance, the items which they are provided, in part carry the tax burden from income tax on consumption. It is proposed to cancel the reduced VAT rate (the introduction of a single rate) and increase property taxes, “- explained the director of the Department’s analysis of tax MOF Ilmars Shnyutsins. According to him, so received by the additional income can be directed to a gradual increase in exemption limit, the most effective manner eased the tax burden for citizens. In the long term, under certain conditions will be possible to gradually reduce the rate of NPA.

Experts note that the reduced rate of VAT is essentially an inefficient form of tax concessions. “This is a subsidy for the wealthy and the poor. All they get it in the same size. Moreover, if the rich can no longer use this product, he receives a grant of bigger size. For poor can not afford this product, even at a lower price. Therefore, it is felt that effective with all gather more support and allocate risk, and not all the people “, – said Shnyutsins.

rate of corporation tax (TNG) in the EU for a long time decreases. For 15 years the average rate of the PPP in the EU fell from 35,3% to 23,3%. Unlike the NPA, to reduce the TNG economic crisis has not affected. Somewhere in Europe (eg in the Czech Republic and Lithuania), TNG was lowered this year. None of the participating countries had not increased. In Latvia, this tax is also gradually decreased from 25% in 1995 to 15% in 2004 (for the EU is a relatively low rate).

problem Latvian taxpayers that they can not decide what they want to see the tax system – the “American” (”every man for himself”, a low burden, paid education and medicine, a small set of services public sector) or the traditional “European” (a high burden, free medical care and education, an established state infrastructure and so on). Each form has its strengths and weaknesses, but one thing is clear: counter-productive to exercise two go together.

“It is difficult to break this vicious circle, change the Soviet understanding that we need low taxes and free medical care and education. It is unclear how then will set the means “, – said director of research business and finance Bank of Latvia, Andris Natrinsh.

“We usually say that well, when taxes are low. Then come to our investors. But, on the other hand, the tax burden shows the amount, the amount that the public sector can be used for collective purposes. These include education, health, infrastructure. The smaller the public sector, the smaller the public sector can spend, “- explains Associate Professor, Faculty of Engineering Economics RTU Karlis Ketners.

figures on paper show that, in general, Latvia is a country with low tax burden. All interviewed experts note that it is necessary to move in the direction of higher taxes, but this must be for the right positions at the right time. The question is, how well the responsible persons will be able to explain to the public need for such steps and, more importantly, whether people believe that it makes sense to pay taxes because they are as certain benefits must return to the taxpayer.

However, this does not stop speculators, because the supply of gold is limited in contrast to the ever-running printing presses. Gold buying is not to protect against inflation for a short time, but rather for a stable protection from the effects of monetary expansion. Despite the fact that state-owned banks control currency exchange rates, money is still worth less than gold. The present reduction in gold prices is only partially due to seasonal fluctuations: decreasing in summer and higher in winter. In general, the price of gold is determined by consumer demand. Also affect investment and high demand. Recently, a decrease in retail demand for the metal, as measured by changes in stock index fund, which probably will result in further declines in prices.

«On Thursday, members of the Elbrus district police department in the city Tyrnyauz discovered an improvised explosive device planted in the center of the urban residential community. It was defused by experts of ATS and Explosives Federal Security Service “, – said the representative of law enforcement.

He said the bomb was packed with bomblets, its capacity was about 1.5 kg of TNT equivalent. Improvised explosive device was equipped with a radio-controlled radio station powered by batteries.

«According to experts, prevent terrorist attacks was directed against the civilian population. In the case of actuation of an explosive device numerous human casualties would not have been avoided, “- reported in the press-service.

Japanese group was the last time the seven messages from around the world about violations of the steering wheel lock. Information on incidents related to this defect has not been.

Unlike previous reviews, initiated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration USA (NHTSA), this time the Japanese conglomerate has decided not to wait for the next U.S. government requirements on the rally and start a service campaign on your own.

Toyota also announced a recall of 39 thousand cars Lexus LX 470 model, also because of problems with the steering, distinct from existing models of Avalon.

As noted, after a long drive on bad roads in LX 470 will not work power steering. To date, the company also had not recorded any incidents of this malfunction.

Over the past 10 months the company has withdrawn due to various defects in more than 9 million of its machines around the world. In the United States against the company filed more than 200 lawsuits.

«In the period from 2001 to 2007 in St. Petersburg, an unknown offender committed a series of sexual offenses against children under the age of seven to 12 years. These crimes have caused great public interest, not only in St. Petersburg but also in Russia, the media appeared materials that Maniac is acting in the city dubbed “elevator” – reads the message on the website UPC RF.

February 2 last year, investigators with the SU staff MPD Petersburg and Leningrad region detained Resin, who was charged with committing 14 episodes of sexual assault against nesovreshennoletnih.

court appointed Resin penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment to be served in a penal colony.