Latest news with #PRA
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PRA achieves record-breaking tax collection
LAHORE: The Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has achieved a significant milestone by collecting a record Rs. 26.12 billion in tax revenues during May 2025, reflecting a 23% increase compared to the same month last year. From July 2024 to May 2025, the Authority has collected a total of Rs. 240 billion, marking a 16% growth over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. Out of this, Rs. 225 billion was collected under Punjab sales tax, also showing a 16% year-on-year increase. Furthermore, Rs. 5.6 billion was generated through the Punjab Infrastructure Development Cess, showing an 18% rise, while the Punjab Workers Welfare Fund witnessed a substantial 30% growth, with Rs. 9.3 billion collected during the same period. It is important to note that this performance has been achieved without imposing any new tax or increasing existing tax rates. The PRA credits this success to a robust enforcement strategy and the effective deployment of modern technology. With continued efforts, the Authority is confident of surpassing its annual tax collection target for the fiscal year. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cardiff sign Test props Sebastian and Wainwright
International tight-head props Javan Sebastian and Sam Wainwright have joined Cardiff from Edinburgh and Scarlets respectively for 2025-26. Sebastian, 30, moved from home region Scarlets to Edinburgh in 2023 having made his Scotland debut in 2021. Advertisement Wainwright, 27, impressed for north Wales side RGC and Wales Under-20s before joining Saracens in 2019. He earned a Wales call for their 2022 tour to South Africa under then-national coach Wayne Pivac and played in the historic win over the Springboks in South Africa. That was the only time Wales have beaten South Africa on their own soil. Sebastian and Wainwright, whose contract lengths have not been disclosed, will challenge Wales tight-head Keiron Assiratti for the number three jersey, as well as Will Davies-King. "Javan has gone away from Wales and developed as a person and a player, picking up international experience. He is technically excellent around his set-piece and will add to the Cardiff game model with his work in open play," said Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt. Advertisement "Sam will add real depth and competition to the tight-head position. He has very good experience for a 27-year-old - playing in the English Premiership at Saracens and the URC (United Rugby Championship) with the Scarlets, while gaining international experience. "He has a real passion for the set-piece and a great work ethic that will enable him to add to our game model." Sebastian said: "I have seen what they have been building at Cardiff over the last couple of years and it's really exciting. "Moving closer to home and family is also nice and I'm looking forward to giving 100% for the jersey." Advertisement Wainwright said: "Myself and my family are really grateful for the opportunity Cardiff have given us and we are really looking forward to coming to the capital and linking up with such a great team, with so much history. "We have heard nothing but good things about Cardiff. It is a great environment for players and their families, which was a big reason for signing." The signings come during a torrid period in Welsh professional rugby. Cardiff have been owned by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), who took them out of administration in April amid serious financial difficulties. Cardiff and Dragons subsequently signed a new deal with the governing body - the new Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA). Advertisement Scarlets and Ospreys have not done so and say they asked the WRU for assurances the takeover "will not disproportionally benefit Cardiff and disadvantage the independent clubs" but claim they were not given guarantees.
Pembrokeshire Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Alun Wyn Jones slams ongoing Welsh rugby row as 'embarrassing'
Calls grow for resolution as uncertainty over regional future deepens FORMER Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones has branded the ongoing stalemate between the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and two of its professional regions as 'embarrassing', as tensions threaten to derail preparations for the 2025–26 season. Speaking on the BBC's Scrum V programme, Jones said it was unacceptable that a resolution had not yet been reached, months after the WRU's introduction of a revised Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA). The Scarlets and Ospreys are the only regions yet to sign the new deal, putting them at odds with the union at a critical time for the domestic game. The WRU recently confirmed that its long-standing policy of equal funding across the four regions – Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff and Dragons – would end under the new structure. Although not officially confirmed, widespread speculation suggests the WRU may be considering a reduction in the number of professional teams, a move that has sparked alarm among fans and players alike. Jones, who retired from international rugby in 2023 after earning a record 170 caps for Wales and the British & Irish Lions, expressed frustration at the impasse: 'It's embarrassing, really. These conversations have been going on for years, and we're still no closer to long-term stability.' He was joined on the programme by Rhys Patchell, another former Wales international, who has spent recent seasons playing club rugby in New Zealand and Japan. Patchell said the situation in Wales was drawing international attention for all the wrong reasons. 'World rugby is crying out for Wales to sort itself out,' he said. 'There's so much passion and talent here, but without a clear plan and proper leadership, we're wasting it.' The Herald understands that behind-the-scenes talks are ongoing between WRU officials and regional bosses, but with no deadline for resolution and continued silence over the fate of one of the teams, concerns are mounting over the viability of Welsh rugby's current structure. While Cardiff Rugby and Dragons RFC have reportedly accepted the new PRA terms, the refusal of Scarlets and Ospreys to sign has created an impasse. Both regions have questioned the financial and governance changes proposed, arguing they could compromise the sustainability of their operations. The WRU has so far declined to comment on whether any region faces the axe, but critics say the lack of transparency is damaging trust in the game. Jones concluded: 'There's a generation of young players and fans watching this unfold. What message are we sending them?'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
PatientRightsAdvocate.Org Applauds Florida Attorney General's Bold Action to Protect Healthcare Consumers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, (PRA) applauded Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier for formally opening an investigation into the deceptive and predatory practices of Florida hospitals flouting state law and federal price transparency rules. "Hospitals have hidden their prices yet have forced patients to sign a blank check before they can get care. As long as prices have been hidden, hospitals have been able to charge whatever they want," said Cynthia A. Fisher, Founder and Chair of PRA. Florida law states that unfair and deceptive acts and practices are "unlawful," which include omitting material information like prices. Yet, hospitals often require patients to sign contracts accepting full financial responsibility without any knowledge of prices. "The Attorney General's action seeks to protect patients through actual upfront prices. This investigation will protect Floridians from hospitals' predatory practices, prevent overcharges, and make bills accountable," continued Fisher. "Ultimately, these consumer protections will help Americans to lower their costs." The Attorney General's investigation is in line with President Trump's historic price transparency executive order that requires real, upfront prices, not estimates, which will empower consumers with competition and choice, and lower the cost of healthcare. Background: Across Florida, some hospitals have charge-to-cost ratios showing charges over 10x the hospital's cost. In 2021, non-profit Advent Health Orlando made news for billing a patient with insurance over half a million dollars following her son's birth. After a press inquiry, the hospital lowered the bill to just $300 total. In PRA's latest Hospital Price Transparency report, only 29% of Florida hospitals reviewed were in full compliance with the federal price transparency rule, and only 3% posted sufficient pricing data for consumers to shop and compare. Wide price variation is prevalent nationwide. Last week, CMS took steps to reveal all actual prices to consumers so they can identify the vast variation and make informed decisions. Price transparency has received wide bipartisan support in Congress and from Americans nationwide. According to a new poll by PRA, 96% of voters agree that Americans "deserve to know the price of their healthcare before they receive it." Economists agree that healthcare price transparency would save up to $1 trillion in the American economy annually. About PRA: (PRA) is a leading national healthcare price transparency organization dedicated to ushering in systemwide transparency through advocacy, testimony, media, legal research, and grassroots campaigns. PRA believes that the availability and visibility of actual, upfront healthcare prices will greatly lower costs for patients and employers through a functional, competitive healthcare marketplace. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Patient Rights Advocate
Wales Online
5 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
The options available for Welsh rugby after two-year notice period activated
The options available for Welsh rugby after two-year notice period activated Welsh rugby faces an uncertain few months with big changes afoot The Welsh Rugby Union will no longer allow four equally funded teams (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency ) The future of professional rugby in Wales is extremely uncertain after both the Ospreys and Scarlets refused to sign the new Professional Rugby Agreement. As a result, the Welsh Rugby Union issued a two-year notice on the old PRA which both clubs will remain on next season after Cardiff and the Dragons signed the new agreement. Next season, there will be a tiered funding model with Cardiff and the Dragons receiving more WRU payments than the west Wales clubs. But the long-term future of the professional game in Wales is up in the air with the WRU hoping to put a firm plan in place by September. The old PRA put back on the table for all four clubs The WRU are adamant the new PRA is off the table for both the Ospreys and Scarlets. In the new PRA, all four clubs were to see an increase in funding, would be funded equally, while the WRU would transfer their debts acquired during Covid onto its own balance sheet. But after the west Wales clubs refused to sign it after failing to meet the WRU's deadline, the governing body announced it would call in the two-year notice period on the old PRA and insisted it would no longer fund the four professional clubs equally. If the WRU were to go back, it would prove to be an extraordinary U-turn and the leadership of the governing body would be questioned. But might a public outcry and pressure from politicians within the Ospreys and Scarlets regions force the WRU to reconsider its position? Nothing is out of the question but it does seem highly unlikely as things stand. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Financially things have changed, with the WRU now requiring the funding directors at the professional clubs to contribute £41m over five years as opposed to the £22m it initially asked. Also, it had hoped to secure what would have been a lucrative Anglo-Welsh conference if PRL had combined with the United Rugby Championship. The poor performance of the men's national side has also hit the WRU hard, while national insurance contributions have risen and media rights are down. A club goes bust If the WRU want to go down to three, the easiest solution would be to scrap Cardiff given they own the capital city club. But not having a professional club in Wales' capital city is commercial lunacy, while they are also currently the best supported Welsh side and have an extremely strong brand. In the old PRA, the professional clubs win with the union and they lose with the union, whereas in the new one there is fixed funding for three years. Any upside in the WRU's profit goes to the professional clubs but if the governing body underachieves financially that hurts the clubs. This is the deal the Ospreys and the Scarlets will be on next season. As it stands, both the Ospreys and Scarlets will be operating with playing budgets of under £5m next season, but the biggest issue is any potential WRU clawbacks. The PRA they are on includes an underperformance clause, so for example if the WRU lost £4m last year, both the Ospreys and the Scarlets would be subject to clawbacks. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free For example, the WRU could demand money is returned - depending on the terms of the contract - or it could decide to issue a lower payment. Also, on top of this, they have to repay the CLBILS loan taken out during Covid, which is no longer a burden on the shoulders of Cardiff or the Dragons. But even if this was the case, both clubs would survive as long as their funding directors continue to cover any losses. By not signing PRA 25, the future of both clubs in the west has been thrown into doubt. If one club goes to the wall then the WRU could decide not to assume ownership and Welsh rugby would be down to three professional clubs. Or if two went bust, they could assume ownership of one club by playing out of either Parc y Scarlets or St Helen's. Mergers The other option is for the Ospreys and Scarlets to merge. In theory, this would create a strong side which should be able to compete in the latter stages of both the United Rugby Championship and European competitions - but it is not as straightforward as that. If two companies merge, it is usually the case they take on each other's debt which would put any new entity on the backfoot. But a large amount of their debt is actually owed to the WRU, so might the union offer to write it off if they both merge? Nothing is out of the question at this stage. Of course, another radical solution would be to merge the Ospreys with Cardiff given the capital city club is owned by the WRU. A permanent tiered funding model Tiered funding models are not a new invention and were prevalent during Project Reset with the Scarlets receiving more than the other clubs based on performance. But for the clubs to be competitive at the cutting edge of competitions it would likely need to be a very aggressive model to work. However, the biggest barrier to success in this regard is the fact three of the four professional clubs are private businesses. Who is going to accept semi-skimmed status? The answer is nobody. Could you imagine the Ospreys being one of the lowest two and losing players like Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake or Dan Edwards to the Dragons? They would not stand for it unless they had no other choice. Welsh rugby's culture and ownership model makes this unlikely to work in the long run. Why would the WRU want a reduction of professional clubs? The WRU are considering a reduction to three professional clubs, while going down to two is also not out of the question. If Wales was to go down to three clubs it would concentrate both money and talent into three teams which in theory should drive up standards. For too long, the emphasis in Welsh rugby has been on quantity over quality. The current structure spreads playing talent too thinly. A reduction to three teams would concentrate that talent, improve squad depth, and, in theory, drive up standards across the board. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. It would also create greater accountability, with players forced to fight harder for places, contracts and game-time — a dynamic that invariably sharpens performance. Such a move wouldn't just be financially motivated but there is a strong rugby argument behind it. Also, is this really how professional sport should work and imagine trying to sell season tickets and attracting sponsors as one of the plus two. Legal action Of course, this could drag on for a significant amount of time if the two clubs in the west decide to take legal action. The clubs may complain there has been an abuse of the WRU's dominant position and that this amounts to anti-competitive behaviour. Some might also argue there is a lack of contractual fairness and equity in this whole process. Article continues below The WRU would inevitably counter such accusation by saying they offered the exact same deal to the Ospreys and Scarlets as they did to the other two professional clubs. But if this goes legal, it could prolong this whole saga and the WRU's hopes of putting a solution in place by September would just be a case of wishful thinking.
