Latest news with #Ireland
The Independent
11 minutes ago
- General
- The Independent
Rare and endangered okapi calf is ‘thriving' at Dublin Zoo
A rare and endangered okapi calf that was born on Good Friday is 'thriving', Dublin Zoo said. The birth marks an important milestone in the conservation of the okapi species, as she is only the third okapi calf ever born in Ireland. The zoo said that its mother, Lumara, aged 10, is caring for her calf 'beautifully', and both are thriving. Over the past three months, the soon-to-be-named young calf has been growing steadily and showing all the signs of good health. Her name will be revealed soon, the zoo said. Dalia and Leki, also offspring of parents Lumara and Kitabu, were previously born at Dublin Zoo. The zoo said that this year's new female is settling into her home under the attentive care of her mother. Infant okapis spend most of their time in their nest during the first few months of life. Visitors to Dublin Zoo may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the growing calf as she begins to explore her outdoor habitat in the coming weeks. Helen Clarke, team leader at Dublin Zoo, said: 'We're absolutely delighted to welcome our third okapi calf to Dublin Zoo. 'Each birth is a major step forward for the conservation of this endangered species. 'At the moment, the calf is nesting with her mother – typical behaviour for young okapis – but it won't be long before she begins exploring the outdoor habitat alongside her. 'The calf is thriving, and visitors exploring the African Plains area may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her in the coming days – and see just how much she has grown.' Okapis are large, hoofed mammals closely related to the giraffe. They have a reddish-brown, velvety coat with distinctive black-and-white stripes on their hind legs. Okapis are herbivores, feeding on a diet of leaves, shoots, fruits and fungi. To meet these dietary needs, the okapis at Dublin Zoo are provided with a variety of foliage, including rose leaves, a particular favourite. For added enrichment, Dublin Zookeepers create 'rose balls', which are hanging baskets filled with rose leaves that encourage the okapis to use their long tongues to nibble at the nutritious treats. The okapi is listed as Endangered by the IUCN list – a critical indicator of the health of the world's biodiversity – due to habitat loss, hunting, deforestation and civil unrest. Current population estimates range between 15,000 and 50,000 in the wild. Their natural habitat is the dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa. Dublin Zoo has supported okapi conservation since 2012, with financial contributions to support rangers and community services in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the DRC. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve monitors and protects okapi populations in the DRC.
The Verge
11 minutes ago
- The Verge
VSCO made a new way to shoot photos on your iPhone
VSCO has widely released its camera app for the iPhone. The app, called Capture, lets you switch between VSCO's filters and make adjustments before snapping a photo or recording a video. VSCO has become known for the array of filters available within its photo and video editing platform, but with Capture, you can control its effects in real-time. The app comes with 58 real-time VSCO presets, while offering manual controls that let you control shutter speed, apply a bloom or halation effect, adjust exposure, and more. You can also choose to shoot photos in RAW and ProRAW, as well as transfer photos to VSCO's main image editing app for access to more tools. Halide offers a similar iPhone app that gives users more control over their camera, and also includes a feature that strips photos of AI processing. VSCO first started testing Capture in Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand in June, but now it's officially available to download for free on the App Store. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Emma Roth Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Apple Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Apps Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Creators Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All iPhone Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
Irish Times
40 minutes ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Irish Life pays €1.85bn of dividends in dozen years under Canadian ownership
Irish Life Group has paid €265.5 million in dividends to its overseas parent in the past 18 months, bringing total payments since it was bought from the State during the financial crisis to about €1.85 billion. The payouts, which include €29.5 million handed over in March, eclipse the €1.3 billion that Winnipeg-based Great-West Lifeco paid for the Republic's largest life and pensions group in 2013 when it bought the business from the State. The dividend were paid to Irish Life Group's immediate parent in the UK. Irish Life Group, the holding company at the top of the group, led by chief executive Declan Bolger , saw its net profit decline 53 per cent last year to €223.9 million, according to its latest set of accounts, filed with the Companies Registration Office this week. This was down to a decline in dividends from its main subsidiary, Irish Life Assurance, to €215 million from €314.6 million in 2023. READ MORE However, the previous year's payments from the unit had been driven by a once-off €115 million special dividend from a sale of a tranche of business to AIB Life, a new life and pensions joint venture set up by AIB and another arm of Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life Ireland Holdings Ltd, in 2023. Dividends from Irish Life Health fell by 50 per cent to €11 million last year, the report said. Both subsidiaries 'continued to be profitable during 2024' and maintained solvency reserves above what has been targeted by the group, it added. The State bought Irish Life in 2011 from PTSB, then known as Irish Life & Permanent, for €1.3 billion to limit the taxpayer bailout bill for the mortgage-focused lender. It subsequently sold the business in 2013 for the same price to Great-West Lifeco. PTSB remains 57 per cent owned by the Government. Former Irish Life chief executive David Harney became CEO of Great-West Lifeco at the start of this month, succeeding Paul Mahon, who has led the group for 12 years. Mr Harney, a Roscommon native, joined Irish Life straight from school almost four decades ago and ultimately served as its head for four years, before becoming president and chief operating officer for Europe for Great-West Lifeco in 2020. While Irish Life has paid big dividends to its Canadian parent over the years, its owner has also backed the business in investing to grow its customer base by more than 50 per cent over the period, helped by acquisitions. Purchases included financial advice companies Invesco, Acumen & Trust and APT. In 2021, the group paid €230 million for Ark Life, the former AIB life insurance arm that stopped taking new business in 2012 and where Irish Life had been the administrator of policies and manager of investments. The seller was ReAssure Limited, a UK company that specialises in managing closed books.
Irish Times
40 minutes ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Pharma companies unprepared for production shift amid US tariffs
Just one in seven pharmaceutical companies could shift production to the United States within three months should US tariffs on imported drugs become too onerous, new research from consultancy Sia has found. The research, which is based on interviews carried out in June and July with seven senior executives at leading pharmaceutical firms and contract manufacturers, shows none of the organisations feel fully prepared for the potential disruptions that tariffs could cause. The majority of the organisations surveyed, based between Ireland and the US, said they are still in the early phases of scenario planning and are hesitant to commit to major changes while trade negotiations remain unresolved. The US government is reportedly considering tariffs of up to 200 per cent on pharmaceutical products from the EU, China and India – a move that could reshape global drug supply chains and significantly increase costs. [ Donald Trump says pharmaceutical tariffs could reach 200 per cent Opens in new window ] The research found the proposed tariffs would likely result in immediate cost increases, potential drug shortages and long-term consequences for innovation. Higher operational costs 'may reduce investment' in research and development, 'slow the delivery' of new treatments and 'force price increases' that would ultimately affect consumers, according to the findings. Ireland's role as a strategic export hub is also emphasised in the research. In May alone, the value of pharmaceutical and medicinal product exports from Ireland rose by nearly three-quarters to €13.7 billion compared to the same month last year. The research also shows growing momentum behind US-based manufacturing. More than $170 billion in investment has been announced or redirected toward domestic pharmaceutical capacity over the next five years, with 57 per cent of organisations planning to increase their US footprint. 'This shift reflects a broader trend toward regionalisation of supply chains and reduced reliance on geopolitically sensitive markets,' according to the report. Research from 2022 showed US pharma manufacturing facilities were operating at around 50 per cent capacity. Contract development and manufacturing organisations are operating around 55 per cent capacity, suggesting a 'near-term opportunity for expansion without the need for major infrastructure spend'. Meanwhile, staffing and talent development 'still present potential challenges'. However, 'challenges remain' in terms of workforce availability and production agility. The complexity and regulatory requirements of pharmaceutical production mean that relocating manufacturing operations is a 'slow and resource-intensive process'. With US patients already paying more than $12,000 per year on average for healthcare – the highest rate globally – the industry is bracing for additional economic pressure. Niall Cunneen, associate partner Ireland and Britain at Sia, said the pharmaceutical industry has 'long benefited' from highly optimised global supply chains, but the research shows 'these very strengths have become vulnerabilities' in the face of rapidly shifting trade policy. 'The potential Trump tariffs represent a genuine stress test – not just of operational flexibility, but of long-term strategic resilience,' he said. Mr Cunneen said many pharma companies are still waiting for regulatory clarity before making major decisions. 'That hesitation is understandable, but risky,' he said. 'In today's environment, waiting too long to act could mean losing access, margin or momentum.' 'What we're seeing is a growing pivot toward domestic investment, with more than $170 billion of US-based capacity already committed over the next five years.
BreakingNews.ie
41 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Judge criticises delay in assessing Mary Ward murder accused
A Central Criminal Court judge has criticised the delay in preparing a psychiatric assessment on a Somalian national accused of the murder of his former partner Mary Ward in Belfast last year. "I understand the Central Mental Hospital has a resources issue, but this impasse has to be broken by somebody. This can't go on,' said Mr Justice Paul McDermott, asking both the prosecution and defence teams to establish a timeframe in the case of Ahmed Abdirahman (31). Advertisement Mr Abdirahman, originally from Somalia and with a last address at Kinlay house, 4 Lord Edward Street, Dublin, is accused of murdering the young mother on September 25th, 2024, at her house on Melrose Street in south Belfast. At the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, counsel for the State, Antonia Boyle BL said that the book of evidence had not yet been served on the accused due to mental health concerns. The court heard from the defence team that the accused is waiting to be admitted to the Central Mental Hospital, and he has failed to engage with a psychiatrist who attempted to see him. Ireland Motorcyclist to face trial over pedestrian's death... Read More Defence counsel also told the court that there is a jurisdictional issue in the case, as the alleged offence occurred in Northern Ireland, meaning the accused must be given the option to be tried there. Advertisement Mr Justice McDermott noted that there was still no diagnosis of the accused, so there was no understanding if he was fit to plead or not. He said that he wanted both the defence and the prosecution to contact the Central Mental Hospital to establish a timeframe as to when the issues will be resolved. "There has to be some response. I understand the Central Mental Hospital has a resources issue, but this impasse has to be broken by somebody. This can't go on,' said Mr Justice McDermott. The matter was put back to July 30th.
