Latest news with #JasonAlden
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Plane supply for global air freight stalls due to a ‘stretched market'
Plane supply for global air freight stalls due to a 'stretched market' CEO of Dublin-based ASL Aviation, Dave Andrew, says freighter conversion costs now 'unsupportable' ASL Aviation operates aircraft for Amazon's Prime Air. Photo: Jason Alden/Bloomberg John Mulligan Today at 03:30 There are virtually no conversions of passenger aircraft to freighters underway, with a lack of global supply constraining activity, according to the chief executive of Dublin-based air services provider ASL Aviation, Dave Andrew.
Toronto Sun
16-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
U.K. taxman could squeeze more from richest 1%, watchdog says
Published May 16, 2025 • 2 minute read Terraced residential properties in the Kensington and Chelsea district in London, UK, on Monday, April 28, 2025. UK house prices stalled on the month in March as the rush to purchase homes before the stamp duty increase in April petered out. Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg Photo by Jason Alden / Bloomberg (Bloomberg) — Britain may be able to squeeze more out of its richest 1% despite them already paying a quarter of all personal tax revenues, according to the UK spending watchdog. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account A report by the National Audit Office published Friday said that the amount owed by wealthy individuals 'could be much higher' than HM Revenue & Customs previously thought after a successful drive to boost revenue in recent years. Efforts to tackle 'non-compliance' generated £5.2 billion ($6.9 billion) in the year to March 2024 — £3 billion more than four years earlier, the NAO said. It suggests that HMRC's estimate of a £1.9 billion wealthy tax gap — the difference between what should be paid and what actually is paid — is far too low. The findings could result in another drive to prise revenue from the richest against a thorny political backdrop in which further tax rises are potentially needed to repair the public finances but major parties are reluctant to target ordinary voters. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'HMRC deserves credit for greatly increasing the additional tax revenue its compliance work has brought in from wealthy taxpayers, however this may indicate that levels of non-compliance are higher than previously estimated,' said Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, an independent body that scrutinizes public spending for Parliament. The Labour government is trying to boost the Treasury's coffers by ending the preferential tax regime for non-domiciled taxpayers, or 'non-doms.' The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that closing the loophole for wealthy foreigners will generate billions of pounds. However, many have already left the UK, and some economists say the policy risks backfiring. Earlier this month a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research warned it will start costing more than it generates if one in four of those affected quit Britain. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The NAO report revealed that 850,000 wealthy individuals, or 1% of the UK population, provided just under £120 billion in personal tax revenue in 2023-24, an average of £140,000 each. HMRC defines wealthy individuals as those who have incomes of £200,000 or more, or assets of more than £2 million. This made up a quarter of the total take from personal taxes. This group pays 63% of capital gains tax, half of inheritance tax and 48% of stamp duty taxes. The NAO said the tax authority has so far only set out a 'limited strategy to tackle wealthy non-compliance,' though it noted that these individuals often have more complex tax affairs than the average worker. The Institute for Fiscal Studies said last year that the share of income tax paid by the top 1% has risen to 29%, up from 21% in 2000. It said much of this was being driven by policy changes since 2010, including under the previous Conservative governments. Celebrity Ontario Toronto Maple Leafs Celebrity Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Sun
25-04-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Apple aims to build most iPhones for U.S. in India by end of 2026
The company is accelerating a shift beyond China to mitigate risks related to tariffs and geopolitical tensions Published Apr 25, 2025 • Last updated 10 minutes ago • 2 minute read iPhone 16 smartphone in an Apple store. Photo by Jason Alden / Bloomberg Apple Inc. is seeking to import most of the iPhones it sells in the US from India by the end of next year, accelerating a shift beyond China to mitigate risks related to tariffs and geopolitical tensions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The goal means Apple would roughly double its annual iPhone output in India to more than 80 million units, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified discussing internal plans. Apple assembled just over 40 million iPhones in India in the fiscal year through March 2025. It sells more than 60 million iPhones a year in the US. The plans are the latest sign of Apple and its suppliers accelerating a pivot away from China, a process that began when harsh Covid lockdowns hurt production at its largest plant. Tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump as well as Beijing-Washington tensions are prompting Apple to amplify that effort. Apple representatives in India didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The Financial Times reported earlier Apple's goal was to source all its US-sold iPhones from India by the end of 2026. Bloomberg News previously reported Apple's plan to increasingly prioritize iPhones from the India supply chain for its US customers. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Cupertino, California-based company assembled $22 billion worth of iPhones in India in the 12 months ended March, increasing production by nearly 60% over the previous year, Bloomberg reported this month. Apple now makes 20%, or one in five, of iPhones in the South Asian country, while China remains its biggest production base by far. The bulk of India-made iPhones are assembled at Foxconn Technology Group's factory in southern India. Tata Group's electronics manufacturing arm, which bought Wistron Corp.'s local business and runs Pegatron Corp.'s operations in India, is also a key supplier. Tata and Foxconn are also building new plants and adding production capacity in southern India, Bloomberg News has reported previously. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Of the total India production, Apple exported 1.5 trillion rupees ($17.5 billion) in iPhones from the region in the fiscal year through March 2025, the nation's technology minister said on April 8. Shipments of iPhones from India to the US accelerated after Trump announced his plans for the so-called 'reciprocal' tariffs in February. Apple's average India production and exports surged all through the fiscal year to March. The Trump administration earlier this month exempted electronics goods including smartphones and computers from its reciprocal tariffs. That's good news for companies such as Apple, though the reprieve doesn't appear to extend to Trump's separate 20% duty on China, applied to pressure Beijing to crack down on fentanyl. This also means iPhones made in India won't attract any duties as of now. Barring the exceptions made April 11, Trump's cumulative levies on China remain at 145%, and will likely force companies such as Apple to intensify their supply chain shift. Apple now assembles its entire iPhone range in India, including the more expensive titanium Pro models. Its manufacturing success in the world's most populous nation is also helped by state subsidies tied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambition to turn the country into a manufacturing hub. Sunshine Girls Canada Toronto Maple Leafs Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA
CBS News
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Jonas Brothers announce 20th anniversary tour with stop at Fenway Park in Boston
The Jonas Brothers are returning to Boston's historic Fenway Park this summer as part of the pop band's 20th anniversary tour. The band announced its "Jonas20: Living the Dream" tour on Sunday. The band played at Fenway Park in 2021. The tour launches in East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 10 before making its way to Fenway Park in Boston less than two weeks later on Saturday, Aug. 23 as a part of the ballpark's summer concert series. Marshmello and Boys Like Girls will serve as opening acts for the Jonas Brothers at Fenway Park. The North American tour comes to a close in New England as well with a show at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on November 14. "We're beyond excited to hit the road and celebrate 20 years of music," the Jonas Brothers said in a statement. "Our fans have been with us through every chapter, and this tour is our way of honoring them, the memories we've made, and the ones we'll create together. We can't wait to make this our biggest, most unforgettable tour yet." Tickets for the Jonas Brothers as Fenway Park go on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. Seven concerts have been announced so far for the home stadium of the Boston Red Sox, with the first taking place on May 29. Shakira, Jason Alden alongside Brooks & Dunn, Hozier, The Lumineers, Thomas Rhett, and My Chemical Romance are the other Fenway Park concerts that have been announced in addition to the Jonas Brothers.
Boston Globe
20-03-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Why did UMass Memorial tack on $770 to his bill for a simple X-ray?
Wittner's insurance covers an X-ray with a $35 copay for the doctor (specialist rate) and a $25 copay for the X-ray itself. But instead of $60 he was billed $276: the total cost of his care ($1,306) minus the amount paid by his insurer ($1,030). As a retired physician assistant, Wittner sensed something was wrong. And there was: His bill included $770 for what's listed as a 'specialty services-treatment room.' But Wittner said there was only an X-ray — no treatment, no room. Besides that $770 charge, Wittner (and his insurer) was separately and appropriately charged $536 for the X-ray and the radiologist who reviewed it. Advertisement The bill Wittner got is hardly a model of clarity. It lists the $35 copay, but the other $241 in charges goes unexplained. Did it have something to do with the $770 'treatment room' charge? Wittner says he called the medical center twice looking for answers, but his first call got dropped, and the second resulted in a promised call back that never came. Wittner is insured by a Medicare Advantage plan from UnitedHealthcare. (Medicare Advantage plans are privatized Medicare plans; UnitedHealthcare is a for-profit corporation.) Wittner filed a challenge to his bill with UnitedHealthcare, which replied almost three weeks later that it was having trouble getting information, although it is unclear to me who is to blame for the breakdown. 'We made several unsuccessful attempts to share your concerns with the provider, but we were unable to reach the office,' UnitedHealthcare wrote to Wittner. Advertisement It's a sorry state of affairs when your insurer and your provider find it impossible to communicate about how much you owe. My involvement on Wittner's behalf apparently prompted the medical center to belatedly snap into action: Wittner almost immediately got a call — from a high-ranking manager, no less. The resolution : Wittner said the manager told him the medical center would resubmit its claim to UnitedHealthcare, but this time without the $770 charge for a treatment room. How exactly that will affect Wittner's bill is not clear to Wittner or me, and the medical center declined my request for clarification, even after Wittner gave it written authorization to do so. But I think it's safe to say the medical center now recognizes it grossly overbilled him. The takeaway : I've heard a lot lately from consumers who say they feel unheard by their health care providers. Similarly, a It makes me wonder: When will medical providers begin taking ordinary folks (without my involvement) seriously? If you get a bill that doesn't make sense, ask questions and document everything. Be methodical and polite and persistent. Advertisement Income tax on Irish Social Security One Northampton resident who worked in IT in Ireland for about 10 years now gets thousands of dollars a year in benefits from what's known in Ireland as Pay-Related Social Insurance. That money is taxed by the state of Massachusetts. Jason Alden/Bloomberg This year, one reader wrote to take exception with my blanket statement. 'I receive a public pension, which is comparable to Social Security, from the Republic of Ireland, and the state of Massachusetts taxes it,' Dennis Desmond emailed me. Desmond, who has dual citizenship, worked in IT in Ireland for about 10 years and paid into the Irish equivalent of Social Security. Now retired and living in Northampton, Desmond, 71, gets thousands of dollars a year in benefits from what's known in Ireland as Pay-Related Social Insurance (PRSI). 'If my time working in Ireland had been spent working in the US, I would have paid into Social Security and have it exempted from taxation by the state,' he wrote. 'I am being penalized to the tune of $700 per year in taxes based on the location of my work.' 'This is not equitable,' he said. Should there be? It's hard to imagine lawmakers being moved to do so without a significant lobbying campaign, and I don't think there are a lot of folks in similar straits as Desmond ready to join the movement. (Let me know if you are one of them.) Advertisement One CPA I consulted, Scott Kaplowitch, pointed out that exempting income from a foreign Social Security equivalent might prompt other state residents to demand another sort of exemption — of the presently taxable income they receive from a public pension earned in another state. Still, I'm sympathetic to Desmond's plight. I think the state's rationale for exempting Social Security benefits is to salute senior citizens who have worked all their lives and are now on fixed incomes. And I think Desmond is as deserving of that respect as his retired friends and neighbors. Kicked out of Direct File Direct File, the free income tax-filing program introduced last year by the Internal Revenue Service, still has some bugs. Tasos Katopodis/Getty I'm a big advocate of Direct File, the free income tax filing program introduced last year by the Internal Revenue Service. Why should it cost money to file your taxes? But, unfortunately, I didn't use Direct File when I filed my taxes this month. Instead, I paid TurboTax $189.13 for something I should have been able to do for free. I was well along with Direct File when it came to a screeching halt over box 13 of my wife's W-2, which I had uploaded. Box 13 contains three short phrases: statutory employee, retirement plan, and third-party sick pay. My wife is not a statutory employee and that phrase was not check marked. But Direct File apparently misread Box 13 by 'seeing' a check mark. It announced in big, bold lettering that it does not 'yet' support filings with income from statutory employees. (Statutory employees are independent contractors who are nevertheless considered by law to be employees for certain tax purposes; my wife is not one.) Maybe next year, I'll get to save the cost of a commercial tax filing, Advertisement Got a problem? Send your consumer issue to
