Latest news with #IFD
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
WTO reform prospects clouded by investment deal block
GENEVA: The World Trade Organisation suffered a setback at its General Council meeting in Geneva on Wednesday after a small group of countries again blocked an initiative designed to boost foreign investment, two sources told Reuters. The Investment Facilitation for Development, which aims to reduce bureaucratic hurdles to encourage foreign direct investment, particularly in developing and least-developed countries, was blocked by India, South Africa and Turkey, they said, asking to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter. The WTO requires full consensus from all 166 members for a measure to be included in its formal rulebook. The measure has been formally backed by 127 members. Trade sources described the latest block as a 'disturbing' signal, as WTO members weigh sweeping reforms to revitalise the global trade body, which has been challenged by a wave of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Proponents of reforms are pushing for changes to the consensus-based decision-making process in particular to stop countries from blocking measures and bogging down initiatives. India, South Africa and Turkey were not immediately available for comment. 'The integration of the IFD into the WTO framework is a litmus test for members' willingness to turn reform discussions into practical action,' a trade delegate told Reuters, describing it as disappointing. The EU delegation told members that the IFD did not hurt anyone's interest and that blocking it would 'endanger' the multilateral trade system, according to a statement seen by Reuters. India and South Africa previously opposed the inclusion of the measure at high-level meetings, including the 2025 ministerial meeting in Abu Dhabi, where it failed to gain consensus. Keith Rockwell, a trade analyst at the Hinrich Foundation and former WTO communications director, told Reuters that India's continued obstruction of the IFD agreement is partly a tactic to gain leverage on food security negotiations.
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Teen, 13, beats cancer but dies weeks later in house blaze started by fireworks
Jerilynn Brown and Marc Anthony Young perished following the fire which was is said to have started when the dying embers of fireworks caused the family home to go up in flames A teenage schoolgirl who had just defeated cancer died when old fireworks sparked a fire at her home in the early hours of the morning. Jerilynn Brown, 13, had celebrated winning her battle with bone cancer weeks before the property was set alight. The girl, from Missouri, US, couldn't be saved despite the quick response of the Independence Fire Department, who were alerted to the blaze at 5am. A second person, named locally as 52-year-old Marc Anthony Young Snr, was confirmed dead on Sunday. It is reported that the smoke alarm wasn't working at the time. Two others suffered injuries in the incident, and both remain in hospital. An investigation showed the fire started on the decking outside the property, with the 'embers' of the fireworks said to have started the blaze. Her family have spoken of their devastation following the fire on July 4 that claimed the life off the fearless youngster. "She just rang the bell, and a month later, here we are, and I'm talking about my baby girl," her father Jerry Brown told Amercian station KMBC. "She just got me to church. I quit drinking, 17 months. All that is because of her." Jerilynn had just been discharged from Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, he confirmed. IFD Chief Jimmy Walker told Fox 4: "To see a young girl who just beat cancer to have it end like this. I'm speaking on all of our folks, our heart goes out and we are all very upset about this as well. Hours can elapse while a fire smoulders, this can happen at any time, lightning strikes, we always have to worry about smouldering fires and the fact that they can go undiscovered for a number of hours and eventually become out of hand very quickly." A GoFundMe page has been created to help Jerilynn's family rebuild their home, and cover the costs of her funeral. The page detailed her parent's pain and read: "In the early morning of July 4th, tragedy struck the lives of Jerry Brown and Liz Stephens in the most unimaginable way. "A devastating house fire destroyed their home, taking with it everything they owned—and most heartbreakingly, their 13-year-old daughter, Jerrilynn Brown. Jerrilynn was a bright, brave, and beautiful soul who had just overcome a long battle with cancer only two weeks prior. Her strength and spirit touched everyone who knew her. To have her taken so suddenly after all she had endured is beyond heartbreaking. "In addition to the loss of their beloved daughter and home, Liz is currently in the hospital, fighting for her life due to injuries sustained in the fire. As Jerry stays by her side, they are navigating unbearable grief and overwhelming uncertainty. "We are raising funds to help cover the cost of Jerrilynn's funeral, provide essential support for Liz's ongoing medical care, and assist Jerry and Liz in beginning to rebuild their lives—replacing clothing, personal items, and basic needs that were all lost in the fire. "No amount can heal this pain, but your support—whether through a donation, a share, or a prayer—can help bring a glimmer of hope to this devastated family. Please consider helping in any way you can. Every dollar and every kind word means the world right now. Thank you for your love and support."
Medscape
09-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Novel Antifungal Offers Hope in Resistant Fungal Infections
TOPLINE: Olorofim, a first-in-class orotomide antifungal agent, was effective in treating invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) in nearly one third of patients with limited treatment options. Drug-induced liver injuries were few and mostly managed with dose adjustments, supporting its potential as a promising therapy for IFDs. METHODOLOGY: Olorofim is a first-in-class orotomide antifungal agent that blocks fungal pyrimidine biosynthesis, leading to cell death. In vitro studies have found it to be effective against fungi that are resistant to existing antifungal agents. Researchers conducted a phase 2b, single-arm study between June 2018 and September 2022 across sites in 11 countries to assess the efficacy and safety of oral olorofim in IFDs. They enrolled 204 patients (mean age, 52.9 years; 61% men) with proven IFD or probable invasive pulmonary aspergillosis administered oral olorofim at a maintenance dose of 90 mg twice daily up to day 84, with extended therapy as needed. The primary endpoint was the global response rate (a composite of clinical, radiologic, and mycologic responses) at day 42, where success meant complete or partial improvement in all three components and failure meant stable disease, progression in any one component, or death from any cause. Other important outcomes assessed were the global response rate at day 84, all-cause mortality at days 42 and 84, and safety. TAKEAWAY: The global response rate was 28.7% (95% CI, 22.6%-35.5%) at day 42 and 27.2% (95% CI, 21.2%-33.9%) at day 84, with stable disease, progression, and death from any cause being the main reasons for failure. No patients with coccidioidomycosis achieved a successful global response at day 42 or 84. All-cause mortality was 11.9% (95% CI, 7.8%-17.2%) at day 42 and 16.3% (95% CI, 11.5%-22.2%) at day 84, with deaths occurring primarily in patients with invasive aspergillosis who had immunosuppression. Treatment-emergent adverse events were primarily infections (1%) and gastrointestinal disorders (10%). Drug-induced liver injury occurred in 10% of patients; 3% permanently discontinued olorofim, whereas others were managed with dose adjustments or temporary discontinuation. No treatment-related deaths were reported. IN PRACTICE: 'Overall, these important findings underscore olorofim's clinical value in addressing unmet needs in the management of difficult-to-treat fungal infections across a diverse patient population,' the authors of the linked commentary added. SOURCE: The study was led by Johan A. Maertens, MD, Department of Hematology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. It was published online on June 17, 2025, in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. LIMITATIONS: The study was limited mainly by its single-arm, open-label design. DISCLOSURES: The study was funded by F2G. Five authors reported being employees of or holding stocks or stock options in the funding company. Several other authors disclosed having financial ties with multiple pharmaceutical companies, including F2G, AstraZeneca, Cidara, Pfizer, Roche, Gilead, MSD, Takeda, Mundipharma, Basilea, and Shionogi. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Hans India
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
When Indira donated Rs 90K for JP's treatment during Emergency
New Delhi: In a little-known episode from the Emergency era, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi quietly donated a significant sum of Rs 90,000 for treatment of her fiercest critic, Jayaprakash Narayan, the leader of the nationwide anti-Emergency movement. A new book reveals that the donation, which Narayan declined, came at a time when his health had deteriorated and he required a life-saving portable dialysis machine. Arrested on June 26, 1975, just hours after the Emergency was declared, Narayan spent five months in custody in Chandigarh before being released on a 30-day parole in November that year. According to 'The Conscience Network: A Chronicle of Resistance to a Dictatorship' by Sugata Srinivasaraju, JP was diagnosed with kidney failure during his custody and required lifelong dialysis to survive. 'Very soon, the cost of his treatment, and the regular dialysis he needed, became a matter of worry. It was decided, in due course, that a portable dialyser machine would work out better than going to a hospital regularly. It was also decided that the government's help would not be accepted. Therefore, his admirers started raising money for a dialyser,' reads the book. As news of his condition spread, supporters across India and abroad mobilised resources. The plan, according to the book, was to collect Re 1 per person from the public to fund the expensive dialysis machine. However, the progress was slow. 'At that point, Indira Gandhi, who learnt about the effort, sent a cheque with a handsome amount on it as her contribution,' it added. However, the Indians For Democracy (IFD) -- a diaspora-led organisation formed in the United States just weeks before the Emergency -- was dismayed by the news of Indira Gandhi's donation. The group urged Radhakrishna of the Gandhi Peace Foundation, the organisation collecting the funds, to return the money. 'I made it known that it would greatly disappoint JP's admirers if the cheque were accepted... We simultaneously requested JP to return Indira Gandhi's cheque. It was returned purely on our intervention. It was a fact that money was not coming through in India because people were scared of the government,' recalls Anand Kumar, a member of the IFD, adding that his organisation vowed to collect the deficit amount. In response, the IFD launched a global appeal to raise Rs 5 lakh—about USD 65,000 at the time—for the purchase and maintenance of a portable dialysis machine for Narayan, and successfully collected the amount. A letter by JP, dated June 11, 1976, was produced in the book quoting 'technical points' of his rejecting the donation made by Gandhi -- including that only small contributions were acceptable.
New Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
When Indira Gandhi donated Rs 90,000 for JP's treatment during Emergency
NEW DELHI: In a little-known episode from the Emergency era, former prime minister Indira Gandhi quietly donated a significant sum of Rs 90,000 for treatment of her fiercest critic, Jayaprakash Narayan, the leader of the nationwide anti-Emergency movement. A new book reveals that the donation, which Narayan declined, came at a time when his health had deteriorated and he required a life-saving portable dialysis machine. Arrested on June 26, 1975, just hours after the Emergency was declared, Narayan spent five months in custody in Chandigarh before being released on a 30-day parole in November that year. According to "The Conscience Network: A Chronicle of Resistance to a Dictatorship" by Sugata Srinivasaraju, JP was diagnosed with kidney failure during his custody and required lifelong dialysis to survive. "Very soon, the cost of his treatment, and the regular dialysis he needed, became a matter of worry. It was decided, in due course, that a portable dialyser machine would work out better than going to a hospital regularly. It was also decided that the government's help would not be accepted. Therefore, his admirers started raising money for a dialyser," reads the book. As news of his condition spread, supporters across India and abroad mobilised resources. The plan, according to the book, was to collect Re 1 per person from the public to fund the expensive dialysis machine. However, the progress was slow. "At that point, Indira Gandhi, who learnt about the effort, sent a cheque with a handsome amount on it as her contribution," it added. However, the Indians For Democracy (IFD) -- a diaspora-led organisation formed in the United States just weeks before the Emergency -- was dismayed by the news of Indira Gandhi's donation. The group urged Radhakrishna of the Gandhi Peace Foundation, the organisation collecting the funds, to return the money. "I made it known that it would greatly disappoint JP's admirers if the cheque were simultaneously requested JP to return Indira Gandhi's cheque. It was returned purely on our intervention. It was a fact that money was not coming through in India because people were scared of the government," recalls Anand Kumar, a member of the IFD, adding that his organisation vowed to collect the deficit amount.
