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Taoiseach ‘hopeful' of EU-US deal as tariff deadline pushed back

Taoiseach ‘hopeful' of EU-US deal as tariff deadline pushed back

BreakingNews.ie5 days ago
The Taoiseach remains 'hopeful' that the EU can reach a deal with the US on tariffs, as the Trump administration pushed back a deadline for increased rates.
Micheál Martin said both sides continue to negotiate the 'fine detail' of future arrangements.
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Monday that US President Donald Trump would be delaying an increase to the baseline 10 per cent tariff rate to August 1st.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Photo: Carl Court/PA.
Countries had been working to a Wednesday deadline to make a new deal with the Trump administration.
Speaking to the media after a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday, Mr Martin said: 'We remain hopeful that the US and the European Union can agree an outline agreement or framework principle agreement this week.
'There's still a number of issues to negotiated, nothing has been rejected, definitively.
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'But what it does illustrate, though, that even if a framework agreement is arrived at, there would be a lot of negotiations subsequently.
'So therefore, whilst it would create some degree of clarity in terms of where we are in the short term, there would still be a number of issues outstanding in respect of that trade issue between the European Union and the United States and indeed between other countries.'
Mr Martin said he supported the Commission's position that an agreement should be reached to provide certainty to consumers, businesses and industry.
US Ambassador to Ireland Edward S Walsh with Tanaiste Simon Harris. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.
Asked if he expected a 10 per cent baseline tariff to remain in place, the Taoiseach said: 'There are certain realities that probably will emerge from this that will have impact – and are having impact – on a number of sectors.
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'But at least it gives us some sense of the landscape that we have to deal with.'
After the tariff deadline was pushed back, Tánaiste Simon Harris said this would give further time for the EU and US to reach an agreement in principle on a 'mutually beneficial agreement that works for both sides'.
In a statement, he said: 'However, it remains the position of the EU and the Irish Government that we would like to conclude discussions on a trade agreement before August 1.'
Mr Harris added: 'I remain cautiously optimistic about reaching agreement in principle on a Framework Agreement.
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'I want to be clear that while it is likely there will be some form of tariffs going forward, their imposition even at a lower rate is bad for consumers, jobs, economic growth and investment.'
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Ireland has consistently called for zero-for-zero tariffs in as many areas as possible.
The remaining uncertainty around pharmaceuticals remains a significant cause of concern.
Mr Harris said: 'My hope is that in the coming days and weeks both sides can work intensively and constructively to bring about an agreement.'
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Palace 'dismayed' by Uefa's decision
Palace 'dismayed' by Uefa's decision

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  • BBC News

Palace 'dismayed' by Uefa's decision

Crystal Palace say they "are extremely dismayed by Uefa's decision to exclude the club from the Europa League."The Eagles were ordered on Friday to compete in the Conference League by Uefa for breaching multi-club ownership Forest, who finished seventh in the Premier League last season, could replace FA Cup winners Palace in the Europa a statement, the club said: "It's clear for everyone to see that we are not part of a multi-club operation and never have been. Further with the completion of the sale of Eagles's football's shareholding to Woody Johnson there will be zero possibility of conflict of interest once the competition begins. "We will continue to press our case and work with Uefa to achieve the fair and just outcome so that we may take our rightful place in the Europa League, as well as taking legal advice to consider our options, including an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport."

How Maresca can fit £190m new strikers Delap, Joao Pedro, Gittens and Estevao into his Chelsea team next season
How Maresca can fit £190m new strikers Delap, Joao Pedro, Gittens and Estevao into his Chelsea team next season

The Sun

time37 minutes ago

  • The Sun

How Maresca can fit £190m new strikers Delap, Joao Pedro, Gittens and Estevao into his Chelsea team next season

CHELSEA'S transfer strategy since the take over by Todd Boehly and BlueCo in 2022 has been scattergun to say the least. The new ownership group has installed a clear recruitment plan - buy young players with high potential whatever it costs. 17 The burn and churn policy means Chelsea have a lot of players on their books, which gives manager Enzo Maresca a huge headache. TheItalian coach has made it clear he favours a smaller and tighter squad so that players would be able to build understanding and momentum. Yet the logic of having so many top scouts and sporting directors dictates that more and more players will continue to be brought into the club. They have already strengthened their forward options since the end of the season with Liam Delap from Ipswich for £30m, Joao Pedro from Brighton for £60m, Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund for £48m and Estevao f rom Palmeiras for £52m all coming into the club. So how on earth will Maresca navigate a way through this mess, and find an attack that blends the old with the new? Boehly and the board have spent another £190m on four attackers this summer, and there may yet be more players coming in at Stamford Bridge. Our tactics expert Lee Scott takes a look at each of these players with a view to understanding how they might fit at Chelsea next season. Liam Delap England U21 international striker Liam Delap was one of the most coveted strikers in the window. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK There was significant interest in signing the former Man City academy player from rivals Man United. But it was Chelsea that moved quickest to secure the signature of the player for £30m. Last season Delap finished with 13 goals and 3 assists in all competitions for a team that were relegated. Compare that to Nicolas Jackson, the forward that Delap will likely replace at Chelsea, who scored 13 goals and had 6 assists for a team who created far more chances and crucially far more high quality chances. 17 17 Here, we see an example of what Delap brings to Chelsea, in the Club World Cup game with ES Tunis. He receives the chipped forward pass from Enzo Fernandez having found space between the fullback and the near side central defender. As he takes the ball down he takes contact from the fullback and holds the player off as he spins and drives into the area before finishing in style. One of the biggest criticisms of Jackson is that the Senegalese striker would regularly miss chances that appeared to be clear cut. He is strong in transition and shows good movement but his final action was still relatively erratic and not consistent enough. Delap, on the other hand, is a forward who pounces on half chances and is much more likely to take advantage of crosses and balls that are played into the area. Delap's strength is his ability to be a focal point on the last line and to create shooting opportunities. This is the aspect of his game that will be most beneficial for Chelsea in terms of upgrading what they had at the position last season. 17 17 Delap provides a genuine presence in the opposition penalty area. Here, as the ball is crossed to the far post we see the English striker keep himself alive and separated from defensive players. As the ball comes back across he has an easy finish. Delap is likely to start the season as the main striker for Chelsea with Jackson dropping to the bench. Joao Pedro The signing of the 23-year-old Brazilian Joao Pedro, for £60m from Brighton, is slightly more difficult to read. This is because it is difficult to decide what his best position really is. He is perhaps best described as a modern versatile forward. While looked amazing as a lone striker with his two-goal performance against Fluminense in the Club World Cup, he is best when playing in close connection to others. We believe there is a chance that he is being seen as an option to play as the advanced attacking midfielder just behind Delap. Last season the Brazilian forward ended the campaign with 10 goals and 7 assists as this more creative forward type for Brighton. 17 Here, we see the type of chance creation that Chelsea fans can expect to see from Joao Pedro. He takes possession initially on the near side and drives inside into space. He has the composure to see the run from his side towards the centre from Yankuba Minteh and he slides a pass through the last line to create a goalscoring opportunity. Even when Joao Pedro played as a central striker at Brighton and at Watford he showed a clear tendency to drop deeper in towards the midfield and to look for pockets of space between the lines. This is why we do not believe that he will regularly play as the No 9 as Maresca needs a 9 who will play, as Delap does, on the last line threatening space and pushing the opposition defensive line back. He does move the ball very well to find teammates and to take advantage of space that the opposition leaves behind. His technical level is extremely high and he shifts the ball effectively at speed taking advantage of any spaces that are present in the opposition defensive block. 17 17 17 17 This time we see Joao Pedro taking possession of the ball on the edge of the opposition area as Mitoma pulls the ball back to him. As he receives the ball there are two opposition players immediately pressing. The Brazilian international is intelligent enough to allow the press to develop before flicking the ball across to a teammate to finish. Joao Pedro will without a doubt bring value to Chelsea going into next season although it remains to be seen exactly how he will be used positionally by Maresca going into next season. Jamie Gittens The 20-year-old English U21 international Jamie Gittens has just moved to Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund in Germany. He played 2,803 minutes in all competitions and he ended with 12 goals and 5 assists. He is naturally right-footed and he typically plays as an attacking left-winger. Chelsea struggled for consistent production from their wingers last season with Noni Madueke arguably being the best wide attacker that they had. Now, Madueke appears to be for sale with several clubs showing significant interest as Chelsea perhaps look to make space for their new arrivals. Gittens is a wide attacker who is at his best when he gets the ball in positions where he can dribble and look to outplay opposition defenders in 1v1 situations. 17 17 Here, we see Gittens receiving the ball out wide in a position where he is faced up 1v1 against the opposition defender. He immediately takes the ball and looks to attack. He is well balanced with quick feet providing real threat in terms of outplaying the defender on either the inside or the outside. Gittens is still not the finished article but he is a young attacking player with genuine and real potential. If he develops properly then he could provide the point of difference in terms of having a real 1v1 threat that Chelsea were missing last season. Often they were too predictable when receiving the ball wide and Gittens is anything but predictable. He provides a threat in terms of shooting as he has a clear tendency to drive inside and even when defenders know that this is what he wants to do they still struggle to stop him. Again, here we see him receiving the ball in a position where he can immediately face up the opposition defender in a 1v1 situation. While he is well balanced and can attack down the outside he wants to create maximum threat and to go inside to a position where he can shoot at goal. Despite the fact that Gittens is not yet fully developed we still believe that there is a chance that he starts the new season as the first choice left-sided attacker for Chelsea. Estevao The most exciting of the new arrivals is the hardest to predict at this stage of his development. Chelsea moved quickly to secure the signing of the 18-year-old Brazilian international winger Estevao from Palmeiras. The youngster made his debut as a 16-year-old and very quickly started to attract interest. Now, Chelsea have beaten off competition for his signature. Estevao is a left-footed attacking player who profiles best as a right-sided attacking winger with his ability to come inside and create threat when coming inside in possession. He is a dangerous dribbler but he is at his most dangerous in the final third in positions where he can take the ball and come inside to create shooting opportunities for himself. 17 17 Here, we see Estevao actually scoring against Chelsea in the Club World Cup. He is positioned intelligently in the channel and as he receives the pass inside he immediately pushes the ball forward before then finishing with power at the near post. It remains to be seen whether Estevao is an immediate starter at Chelsea or whether he will back up the likes of Cole Palmer or even spend his first season in Europe on loan in France with Strasbourg. If he does remain at Chelsea though and if he does get first-team minutes then he has the quality to contribute. 17 This time we see the young Brazilian international holding a wide position to stretch the pitch and find space on the outside of the opposition defence. All it takes is one long pass to release Estevao into space as he drives forward and ends up scoring in the opposition area. He is intelligent in his positioning and in the runs that he makes. When playing with more technical and intelligent players at Chelsea he will likely make a real impact if he is given a chance to do so. Conclusion Knowing Chelsea and their ownership the way that we do now there is little doubt that their signings are not finished for next season. We will likely continue to see them be active in the market as they strengthen and add more young talent. With the four attacking players that have been added so far, however, there is little doubt that they have given Maresca more options next season.

How a single bullet changed Donald Trump forever
How a single bullet changed Donald Trump forever

Telegraph

time37 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

How a single bullet changed Donald Trump forever

The chart showing immigration numbers was usually displayed in the closing minutes of the stump speech and on the other side of the stage. So, when Donald Trump turned his head to the right to glance at the graph, escaping an assassin's bullet by millimetres, many thought they saw the hand of God. 'There's a confluence of things that happened to avert tragedy, and I think he talks about how there must have been some divine intervention,' says Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, who was present on July 13 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. 'That is the change.' It was the day a bullet grazed Mr Trump's ear, upending the 2024 election campaign and changing the president forever. Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old would-be assassin of Mr Trump was shot dead by the Secret Service at the scene. Crooks also fatally shot audience member Corey Comperatore, and injured two other people in the crowd. Since then, Mr Trump has talked about his nerves when people move around in the crowd at his rallies, flirted with the idea of uniting the nation, and described his mission to save America as the work of God. This weekend, however, there will be little in the way of commemoration. An interview with Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, is due to be broadcast on Fox News on Saturday, when he will reflect on the past year. And that is all in keeping with a man who prefers not to look backwards, say insiders. 'He's a busy man. There's a lot to get on with,' said a senior administration official. In the past year, Mr Trump pulled off an extraordinary political comeback, becoming only the second president in history to serve non-consecutive terms. He has governed at a rapid pace, slashing the federal workforce, axing foreign aid, challenging the world to a trade war, reducing illegal immigration, and bringing media critics to heel. Mr Cheung said there had been no time to take a step back immediately after the assassination attempt. 'Immediately we went into the Republican National Convention (RNC),' he said, 'Immediately he went back on the campaign trail.' Just two days after being wounded, Mr Trump made his triumphal entry at the RNC in Milwaukee, pacing down an entry corridor in front of a camera, looking every inch the heavyweight champ returning to the ring. Thousands of supporters embraced the religious parallel. 'July 13 was the same date when the Holy Mother revealed the third secret of Fatima,' said a Catholic attendee. That was the date in 1917 when the Virgin Mary appeared to three Portuguese children, entrusting them with her prophecies. The vision foretold an attack on a 'bishop dressed in white,' and was only revealed in 2000, 19 years after an assassin tried to kill Pope John Paul II. 'You can't make this stuff up,' added the Trump supporter. For a while Mr Trump held his rallies indoors, reducing the threat of a copycat sniper. But six weeks later his security team rejigged the setup with bulletproof screens allowing the Republican candidate to resume his trademark events. His ear had healed quickly, but Mr Trump admitted some other scars might remain. During a rally in New York in September he appeared startled by a sudden movement in the audience. 'I thought this was a wise guy coming up,' he said. 'You know, I've got a little bit of a yip problem here. Right? That was amazing. I was all ready to start duking it out.' There were other effects from the shooting, according to Blake Marnell, who travels around the country attending rallies and who was in the front row at Butler, resplendent in his distinctive brick-patterned suit. He said older voters remember the anger and violence in the country around the time of the murder of John F Kennedy. If anything, the shooting this time helped voters coalesce around the wounded leader. 'When you look at the other effects post Butler, you can't ignore the fact that that is one of the driving factors that got Robert F Kennedy and president Trump speaking, which led to the Make America Healthy Again (Maha) coalition,' he said, referring to a member of the famous liberal political clan, who was best known as an environmental lawyer. 'That also crystallised Elon Musk's support for the president.' The world's richest man endorsed Mr Trump on the night after the shooting. And he appeared on stage with him when the Republican candidate returned to Butler three months later. For a while Mr Trump's speeches took on a more bipartisan air. Aides described how a caustic convention address was toned down in the interests of national unity. 'The discord and division in our society must be healed. We must heal it quickly,' he said at the start of his 90-minute speech. 'As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart.' Headlines about a softer Mr Trump did not last long, however, as he quickly resumed his scathing attacks on Joe Biden, the then president, and Kamala Harris, his election opponent. What endured was a greater sense of mission in a man who pulled off a surprise win in 2016 and at times struggled to impose his will on Washington during that first term. Mr Trump himself used religious framing to describe his campaign after his narrow escape in Butler. He was often seen taking part in group prayers, the president in the middle, head bowed, as supporters reached out to touch his arm, an elbow, the back of his chair. 'I would love to think it's God, and it's God doing it because he wants to save America,' he said in an interview. 'He sees what's happening. God sees what's happening in America.' He shrugged off questions about PTSD or mental scars, but has returned repeatedly to the idea that surviving that day has toughened his resolve and his faith. 'It changed something in me,' he said a month after returning to the White House. 'I feel, I feel even stronger. I believed in God but I feel much more strongly about it.' The result was a greater sense of purpose, said Mr Cheung. 'I think it was a further resolve of how important it was to work on behalf of the people, and that the mission took on an even greater importance,' he said.

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