Latest news with #232
RTÉ News
11-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Tánaiste speaks with Maroš Šefčovič on EU-US trade talks
Tánaiste Simon Harris and EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič spoke by phone last night to discuss the latest developments in the EU-US trade talks. The two discussed their shared desire for negotiations to conclude as soon as possible with the US on an agreement in principle on a mutually beneficial deal that works for both sides. They also discussed the issue of pharma, acknowledging that uncertainty continues around the outcomes of the existing 232 investigations including on pharma. In a statement, the Tánaiste said this is an area of significant concern to Ireland, adding that the Commissioner agreed it was important to continue to work together on these issues in the period ahead. "The Tánaiste remains of the view that the continued uncertainty is bad for economic confidence and Irish businesses seeking clarity on the trading environment in which they operate," the statement said. "However it remains his hope that both sides can work intensively and constructively to bring about, as soon as possible, a framework agreement, which would provide a base for continuing work."
CNBC
11-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Trump's 200% tariff threat leaves pharma firms scrambling with scenario planning
The pharmaceutical industry is scrambling with scenario planning as U.S. President Donald Trump's 200% tariff proposal threatens to drive up drug prices and rip out corporate profit margins. The president once again warned on Tuesday that long-awaited industry-wide tariffs would be announced "very soon" after the administration launched a so-called 232 investigation into the sector in April. Trump suggested that those levies would not go into effect immediately, but get a grace period of "about a year, year and a half to come in." Analysts nevertheless warn that such a rate — even with a delay — will have a detrimental effect on drug prices and profit margins. "A 200% tariff would inflate production costs, compress profit margins, and risk supply chain disruptions, leading to drug shortages and higher prices for U.S. consumers," Barclays wrote in a note Wednesday. UBS analysts cited a "significant negative impact" on margins, where goods are manufactured outside of the U.S. Meanwhile, the hit for patients could be "disastrous," Afsaneh Beschloss, founder and CEO of investment firm RockCreek Group said Tuesday, in reference to an estimated 100% levy. "That would be potentially disastrous for every person because we need those pharmaceuticals, and it takes those companies a long time to produce them here in the U.S.," Beschloss told CNBC's "Closing Bell." It is estimated that a tariff of just 25% on pharmaceutical imports would drive up U.S. drug prices by almost $51 billion annually, increasing domestic prices by as much as 12.9% if passed on, according to research from industry trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which on Wednesday lambasted the president's proposals as "counterproductive" to health outcomes. Pharmaceutical products have typically been excluded from trade tariffs due to their critical nature. However, Trump has repeatedly targeted the industry for what he deems unfair pricing practices, and has urged firms to reshore manufacturing to the U.S. In response, global pharma firms — including Novartis, Sanofi and Roche and U.S.-headquartered Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson — have made commitments to invest large sums in the U.S. UBS dubbed the administration's tariff grace period of 12 to 18 months as "insufficient time" for firms to relocate their manufacturing stateside. "We would usually think of 4 to 5 years as the timeline to move commercial scale manufacturing to a new site," the analysts wrote. The industry is now awaiting further details at the end of this month, when the final Section 232 investigation report is due. But in the meantime, firms have little choice but to plan for various potential outcomes. A Roche spokesperson said the company was "monitoring the situation closely" and engaging with stakeholders to "advocate for policies that address barriers to patient access" and create "a more equitable and affordable healthcare ecosystem." The Swiss pharmaceutical giant had previously said that Trump's drug pricing order could jeopardize its U.S. investment. However, it noted Wednesday that its proposed funding will allow it to continue building out its manufacturing footprint in the U.S. Bayer similarly said that it was monitoring the "various tariff announcements" and that it was focused on securing its supply chains and "minimizing any potential impact." Novartis, meanwhile, said that it continues to work with the U.S. administration and trade association partners, and that it had "no changes" to its planned U.S. investment. AstraZeneca and Sanofi did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment, while Novo Nordisk declined to comment during its pre-earnings quiet period. The pharmaceutical industry had previously sought a sector-wide carve-out from tariffs. But as those hopes have faded, attention is now turning to prospective trade deals as a potential buffer. The U.S.-U.K. trade deal announced last month, while sparse, states that both sides will negotiate "preferential treatment outcomes for U.K. pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients contingent on the findings of a Section 232 investigation." Pharma firms in Switzerland and the European Union could be aiming for similar carve-outs in their prospective deals. Yet, without clarity soon, question marks for companies and consumers remain. "The longer this uncertainty reigns over which sectors are going to be affected and which aren't, it's going to have a continuous negative impact," Bert Colijn, chief economist at ING, told CNBC's "Europe Early Edition" on Wednesday.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Sky is the limit! After surpassing Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, can Vaibhav Suryavanshi break this 12-year-old record?
India U-19 opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi has set English soil on fire with his fiery knocks in the ongoing Youth ODIs against England U-19. In the third ODI, the 14-year-old smashed 86 off 31 balls. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He reached his fifty in just 20 balls, and his knock was studded with nine maximums. So far, he has scored 48 (19), 45 (34), and now 86 (31) in the series, and is currently the leading run-scorer for India. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The teenager, who set the IPL earlier this year on fire, is breaking one record after another at the U-19 level. IND vs ENG 2nd Test: Shubman Gill's statement ton, Jaiswal misses out & Karun Nair at No.3? During his knock, he surpassed former India cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina in having the best strike rate in a fastest fifty-plus total for India. Yuvraj had scored a 25-ball 58 with a strike rate of 232 against Australia U-19 in 2000. Raina had smoked a 38-ball 90 with a staggering strike rate of 236.84 against Scotland U-19 in 2004. Vaibhav, who has scored at the rate of 277.41, is second on the list. The top position is held by India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who had scored a 37-ball 78 against Nepal U-19 in 2016 with an impressive strike rate of 325. What records can Vaibhav Suryavanshi break? If in the next matches Vaibhav Suryavanshi manages to hit a century, he would become the youngest Indian to score a Youth ODI hundred. Sarfaraz Khan is currently the youngest, having reached three figures aged 15 years and 338 days against South Africa U-19 in 2013. Poll Will Vaibhav Suryavanshi score a century in the upcoming matches? Yes, definitely! No, not likely. Suryavanshi will also become the youngest centurion in Youth ODIs in the world if he manages to reach the three-figure mark. Bangladesh's Najmul Hossain Shanto is the youngest to score a Youth ODI ton, reaching the landmark aged 14 years and 241 days against Sri Lanka U-19 in 2013. The fastest Youth ODI century ever was hit by Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam, who slammed a 53-ball century against England U-19 in 2013. For India, Raj Angad Bawa has hit the quickest century in Youth ODIs; the all-rounder smoked a 69-ball century against Uganda in the 2022 U-19 World Cup, which India went on to win.
Ya Biladi
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
232 researchers urge ISA to rethink Israeli participation at Rabat World Forum
A group of 232 researchers from Morocco and other countries have launched a petition urging the International Sociological Association (ISA) to reconsider the participation of Israeli speakers at the fifth World Forum, scheduled for July 6–11, at Mohammed V University in Rabat. Released on Monday, the petition threatens a boycott if the planned Israeli presentations proceed. This initiative follows the ISA's decision to suspend the membership of the Israeli Sociological Society (ISS). Speaking to Yabiladi, a coordinator of the campaign in Morocco explained that «the suspension does not automatically cancel the interventions, especially since not all participants are ISS members, and membership is not the main criterion for selecting Forum presentations». In their appeal, the 232 signatories highlight a «deep contradiction in this forum, which adopts 'Knowing Justice in the Anthropocene Era' as its main theme while hosting presentations that appear to whitewash ongoing crimes of extermination [in Palestine, ed.] by promoting narratives at odds with facts, international reports, and rulings concerning the crimes of the Zionist entity». Furthermore, the researchers declare their boycott «due to the participation of Zionist institutions involved, directly or indirectly, in the ongoing war of extermination against Gaza, and the programming of presentations whose summaries seem to promote colonial narratives». The petition echoes recent calls by the Palestinian (PACBI) and Moroccan (MACBI) campaigns for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel. The signatories accuse the ISA of violating «ethical and scientific standards by putting 'the oppressor and the oppressed' on the same platform». «We call on academic institutions, especially faculty and students, to remain vigilant and condemn any normalization efforts that may infiltrate Moroccan university lecture halls, which have historically denounced and resisted the Zionist entity's historical crimes», they added. A Divided Stance Within the ISA Also interviewed by Yabiladi, the ISA clarified its June 29, 2025 decision stating that, «in its public stance against the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, the Association maintains no institutional ties with Israeli public institutions». It added, «We regret that the Israeli Sociological Society has not taken a clear stand condemning the dire situation in Gaza. Reflecting the extreme seriousness of the current crisis, the Executive Committee decided to suspend ISS's collective membership». However, the ISA justifies Israeli researchers' participation in the forum on the basis of «academic freedom». In a statement released on June 26, the association affirmed respect for «civil society's right to express dissent and call for boycotts». «Nonetheless, the ISA remains committed to its core mission: to provide a platform where sociologists—regardless of nationality, institutional affiliation, or political views—can engage in open, critical dialogue». Since October 7, 2023, the Gaza Strip has been the scene of what many call genocide. At the upcoming forum, one presentation involves three researchers affiliated with Israeli universities, one of whom labels Hamas a «terrorist organization» and references the «displacement» of Israelis following Hezbollah attacks. In response, the BDS Morocco movement, through MACBI, reminded that «in 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank is illegal and constitutes apartheid». MACBI further emphasizes that «UN human rights experts have called for ending academic ties that support the illegal Israeli occupation and apartheid regime in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem». Last week, the secretariat of the progressive wing of professors and researchers within the National Higher Education Union (SNE-Sup) also expressed «deep concern about the implications» of ISA's announcement to allow Israeli researchers to participate.
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Each district to emerge as a growth driver, CM Fadnavis at IIM
Nagpur: CM Devendra Fadnavis said that under the new district strategic plan, the state will focus on making every district a growth driver, which in turn will propel Maharashtra's economy. Inaugurating 'MahaStride' and a workshop for district collectors at IIM Nagpur on Saturday, Fadnavis said the project will help in optimising resources and making policies tailored to a specific region. Fadnavis said that Maharashtra's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) can increase by Rs35 lakh crore in the next five years, with MahaStride now in place. The MahaStride (Strengthening Institutional Capabilities in Districts for Enabling Growth) project focuses on improving how districts plan, execute, and monitor their development strategies, with the aim of generating economic opportunities, attracting investment, and improving public services. "At present, the district level GSDP is not 100% accurate, it's done by using various thumb rules. But thanks to MahaStride, we will get accurate data from district level," Fadnavis added. The total estimated cost of the MahaStride project is Rs2,232 crore, of which Rs1,562 crore will be funded through loans from the World Bank, while the remaining Rs670 crore will be provided by state govt. The project represents a strategic partnership between the state and global experts to support inclusive and sustainable growth in districts across Maharashtra. The CM said that Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (Mitra) chief, and former IAS officer Pravin Pardeshi had suggested putting a 'clock' in Mantralaya to measure where each district now stands. "This clock will show where the district must reach and where they stand at present. Unless there is accountability, there is no motivation to do things," said Fadnavis. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said districts will reach their full potential with MahaStride. "Many districts lag in development standards, but now we will ensure that infrastructure is upgraded everywhere," said Shinde.
